


Hard to Say, but Clearly Felt

by Elise_the_Writing_Desk



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Courtship, F/M, Farmer!Yuuri, Florist!Viktor, Harvest Moon Map Setting, M/M, Plot heavily based on Laura Ingalls' These Happy Golden Years from the Little House Series, Romance, Slice of Life, Slow Paced, Village AU, courting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-19 11:12:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 30,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9437537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elise_the_Writing_Desk/pseuds/Elise_the_Writing_Desk
Summary: The three words "I love you" aren't enough to express what they feel. The words "I love you" makes it cheap...makes it not as deeper. It's not as big. It might take days, or weeks, or even forever for them to express what they feel. It's in Yuuri's eyes, that glimmer when he smiles sincerely, in every each one of their evening rides. In the way Viktor unconsciously smiles when they are together. In the way they find that being joyful comes naturally when they're together, without having to try. It's hard to say, but they will always treasure these feelings more than any exchange of words.--A slow-paced growing romance between a lonely florist and a young farmer who are trying to find fulfillment in life. It's a sweet story that will make you feel good, and despite the slowly growing romance, I hope it will bring a smile to your face! Roughly-edited, and feel free to offer your service!





	1. A Bundle of Spring

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, been a while since I write here. I've only been reading, and since I can't find a fanfic like this, I decided to write about it. I wanted to read a story where Yuuri and Viktor grow affection towards each other on the same level, I want to read the process. I want a romance where they don't really need to pour the words out. I want to read a Viktor whose character isn't overshadowed, who's just Viktor, before he's in love with Yuuri, and I want to read him when he accepts that he is in love with Yuuri. I want a fanfic where Yuuri doesn't feel lowly about liking or being liked. So I wrote it, and here it is. 
> 
> The setting is highly influenced by Harvest Moon townmaps (STH, BTN and FoMT) whilst some of the scenes and the plotline are heavily based on Laura Ingalls' "These Happy Golden Years" from her Little House Series.
> 
> In this chapter, the music piece that Yuuri played is "Music Festival" from Harvest Moon FoMT, and this link is the cover for that piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcMQox9zyGI
> 
> If there's any questions about background details, feel free to ask! I do hope I've narrated them all, but there's really no need to focus on that :)
> 
> Happy reading!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-ed by @Stories_to_be_read

It didn’t start because of a random fiasco, nor it was love from the first sight. It was hard to describe...

His younger cousin, Yuri Plisetsky, strode into the greenhouse with a stomp, grumbling in anger. This wouldn’t be the first time, so Viktor didn’t really pay attention, but he did catch something along the lines of ‘ _embarrassing_ ’ and ‘ _same name my ass_ ’ while he was tending to the enormous bouquet for a wedding in two days. The bride specifically ordered for a dried-up bouquet that would last a while for whomever’s lucky to catch it after the procession.

“Hello! How’s everything going?” the bell chimed as another entered his greenhouse; the bride, Yuuko Natsukawa— _to be Nishigori in two days_ —giving a small wave as she skipped towards Viktor. “Oh, that’s so pretty!”

“Do you want ribbons?” Viktor offered with a beam.

“What do you have?” Yuuko asked, and whilst Viktor turned to find Yuri, she turned to the door and waved. “Hey, what are you doing out there? Come in!”

“Yuri, can you come here with the ribbon samples?” Viktor called his cousin.

“Yuri?” Yuuko sending Viktor an confused look before it dawned on her and she giggled, “Oh, right! Yuuri, Viktor’s cousin has the same name with you! Did you hear that?”

Viktor just processed Yuuko’s word when he noticed a timid-looking young man standing by his greenhouse door. He stared at Viktor awhile. The silver-haired smiled.

“Can I interest you in some flowers too?” he offered.

However, that offer was met with a frown, and the young man shook his head to Yuuko before stepping out of the green house without a word. Yuuko sighed, saying that Viktor didn’t have to mind that, because Yuuri was just shy around new people.

He decided to leave it at that, and Viktor didn’t mind because he didn’t feel like reading between the lines today. He had a wedding to think of! It’s not exactly _everyday_ he could decorate a wedding in this small village. There was no time to think about some rude new man.

At least that’s what he thought, originally.

 

* * *

 

 

Viktor, unlike most men in the world, _loves_ wedding. Sure, the process was hectic but the day was always worth all the hard work. Imagine. The flowers decorating the aisle, the small church blooming with mildly sweet scent of white roses, a humble wedding cake ready in the middle, just a few of invitees in the seats, and children running around in cheeriness of the beautiful day of matrimony.

He couldn’t wait for tomorrow. Yuuko had become his friend over the past two years, and he was so excited for her and the entire event.

Living in this small village made Viktor crave for a humble crowd. There was no decor staff, so everyone in the village helped out to decorate and prepare everything. Yuuko was a sweet young girl, and despite her soon-to-be-husband’s sarcasms, it wasn’t a surprise for her to marry Takeshi Nishigori. They had been together since forever, and they were not the kind of people who seek excitements out in the world, instead, they found world in each other. Viktor thought that kind of love was beautiful.

It did also help that Viktor Nikiforov was a secretly ~~high-key~~ hopeless romantic.

He had finished tying the silk ribbon on the side of the aisle when he heard gentle music from the front of the church. Viktor could see that the black-haired man from yesterday—Yuuri, was it?—was playing the church’s piano (they couldn’t afford an organ). It was a short and gentle piece, Christmas-y but also had this wedding-ish touch.

The silver-haired florist couldn’t help but be curious and quietly approached from behind to peek over the bespectacled pianist. Yuuri was making marks on the music sheet on the piano; it was titled ‘Music Festival for Yuuko and Takeshi’. Viktor couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at the blunt title, making the pianist turn towards him in surprise.

“Oh, um,”

“Hello,” Viktor politely greeted. “Sorry, I heard what you were playing and...it’s beautiful.”

Yuuri smiled back politely. “Thank you.” He cleared his throat and looked around. “You...You did a wonderful job with the decor. Yuuko would be so happy.”

“Of course she will,” Viktor confidently nodded, putting a hand behind his lower back. “Anyways, we weren’t properly introduced yesterday. I’m Viktor.” He offered his free hand to shake.

“I know, actually...” the raven-haired took the offered hand anyways. “I could read your shop’s sign. I mean. Um. I didn’t mean it to sound so sarcastic.”

“That’s alright. I’ve never seen you before in the village, by the way.”

Yuuri explained that he was the son of the inn-owners in the village, which was a shock to Viktor, since Mari Katsuki never mentioned a brother. The raven-haired young man had moved to find his living in the town, raising and training horses. Viktor wouldn’t have met Yuuri since he had moved away five years before Viktor moved into the village. The young man was currently 24, four years younger than Viktor.

With questions answered and small talk finished for the time being, silence returned between them. Viktor could see awkwardness washing over the younger man that prompted him to stand from his seat and excused himself, saying something about checking on Takeshi.

They didn’t talk anymore throughout the preparation, but Viktor wasn’t really surprised.

But what he didn’t expect was that he was going to be surprised by Yuuri and his quiet personality many times to come.

 

* * *

 

 

Yuri Plisetsky came home one day, complaining about Mari Katsuki who had decided to nickname him ‘Yurio’ now that her silly little brother returned from the town. Yuri was 15, and he's working part-time at the inn while learning music during his school breaks. Viktor’s young cousin aspired to join an orchestra one day, and to travel the world in the future.

“Speaking of which, do you know that Yuuri Katsuki plays the piano?” Viktor mentioned during their dinner, slicing into his baked salmon. This prompted out a loud ‘tsk’ from the blond.

“Of course I know. He plays the guitar too. That guy _was actually the member of the orchestra in town_. Chulanont laughed at me when I introduced myself two days ago saying ‘ _we have a Yuuri too_ ’. I hate this.” Yuri begrudgingly dug into his own salmon with an overwhelming anger.

Viktor didn’t need it to be explained. Yuri was probably feeling insulted, because now he felt that he had to compete and outshine the bespectacled Yuuri to get his spot in the orchestra. However, he was more surprised to hear that the raven-haired was a member of the orchestra.

Viktor had Yuri to clean up the dishes whilst he went out to check on the church. It was a thirty minute walk, and the evening was lovely. Spring was blooming in this lovely June; the peak of Spring, one might say. The air was warm, and the paved road was thankfully not  muddy.

He loved how he could see the green orchard of grapes owned by the winery just across from his shop, the vines trailing alongside the road. Tall wild grass growing by the wooden fences. He reached a fork and found that there was something sort of romantic about the single garden lamp just beneath a short-cliff that hid the forest.

Before he could turn right, he was stopped by the sound of horses and the creaking of a carriage. From the other road came a pair of lovely horses, cheerily pulling a white carriage. The first person behind those horses he could recognize was Takeshi, but the one who restrained the animals was Yuuri.

“Viktor, out for a walk?” Takeshi greeted him, and the horses stopped. Viktor was staring, he knew this, but he couldn’t help it. Yuuri had this stern look as he concentrated to handle the horses and it was fascinating.

“I was going to check on the church.” The silver-haired supplied after a few seconds. He approached the horses, finding them to be the most beautiful, lovely creatures. One dark brown and one white. When Viktor reached his hand towards the brown one, the horse nuzzled his palm with a gentle neigh. Then, to his surprise, his palm was licked, making Viktor laugh.

“Vitya, stop that,”

“Oh, sorry,” Viktor pulled his hand away, but then blushed at Yuuri’s way of calling him. He looked at the man in surprise, only to find him staring back in confusion.

“Oh, um, not you, but my horse. That’s Vitya, and the white one is Yuratchka.”

“Oh.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Takeshi barked a laugh at the silent awkwardness between them, before offering Viktor a ride, since they were also going to the church to let the horses familiarize the route for tomorrow’s wedding. Despite seeing Yuuri’s embarrassment, Takeshi managed to convince Viktor that the man wouldn’t mind.

So with a giddy feeling, Viktor stepped onto the beautiful carriage behind those lovely horses that were coincidentally named after his and Yuri’s nicknames.

He didn’t expect his walk to be quite as lovely as this.

The carriage was simply-decorated with white ribbons. It had a low-backseat and a roof made of cover that could be retracted up and down. The base was made of strong, polished, brown hardwood, and despite being old it was obviously well-cared.

Takeshi was doing most of the talking, looking completely relaxed despite tomorrow’s ceremony. He said that he found it nostalgic to be on the carriage with Yuuri, remembering a time when they were little and it was Yakov who held the reins.

“This was Yakov’s?” Viktor asked at the mention of his late uncle.

“Yes. He even gave Vitya and Yuratchka Yuuri when they were little.” Takeshi said with a wide grin. “I got a horse too but it’s for farming. I can’t handle training horses, not patient enough for that. Though speaking of, Yuuri, I heard you say that you’re gonna settle down and be a farmer, eh?”

“Yeah...I’m off the orchestra. But I’ll still train horses here and there for cash,” Yuuri answered softly.

Viktor glanced at the ‘new guy’ curiously. For Viktor, Yuuri was a new element, but in actuality, Yuuri was just returning to his home, and Viktor couldn’t help but wonder how it was when Yuuri Katsuki was around, since it seemed that the young man had made a lot of bonds in this small village.

They rode slowly alongside a low cliff where small wild roses were hanging low enough for Viktor to pluck them from the carriage. The breeze was nice, and it was fun, Viktor plucking the fragrant roses to fill his lap. He planned to use them to make potpourri. Takeshi commented that Yuuri and Yuuko used to collect them at this time of month when they were younger.

Nearing the church, Yuuri reached a hand across Takeshi’s lap, offering a handkerchief to Viktor.

“To keep your roses,” Yuuri said, his eyes on the road, only one strong hand holding the rein over Yuratchka and Vitya. “We’re arriving soon, so...”

“Thank you,” Viktor smiled and gratefully accepted the handkerchief, wrapping his roses inside it before tying it up. Takeshi told him to leave it beneath the dashboard before they got down and Yuuri went to park his carriage elsewhere.

Viktor made a round in the church’s yard. The reception would be outdoors, after the ceremony. Isabella Yang was in charge of the cake. She’ll come with her boyfriend Jean-Jacques Leroy (JJ, for short) at dawn to bring it. There will only be a small crowd for the wedding, but it’d be lovely. The sky was clear; Viktor was sure they would have a beautiful wedding day tomorrow.

He just finished checking the garden when he heard music was playing inside the church. It was a different piece. It was fun, and Takeshi was playing the ocarina he’d usually carried around in his pocket, whilst Yuuri had pulled out the guitar from the back of the storage room. Viktor took a seat by the piano and watched the two jamming it out.

It became some-sort of a small bachelor party for Takeshi.

The groom then rambled on a little, about how the ocarina was a gift from Yuuko, and that the three of them would play there in the Church. Yuuko would sing, and Yuuri played the piano until dusk, when they’d have to leave the Church because Father Lambiel announced that it was time to go home. They had to stop playing around when Yuuko was fifteen, because it was time for for her to grow up, and she had to help her family’s ranch. Takeshi would still meet up with her because his farm was close by, but Yuuri could rarely meet them because he lived the furthest north of the village, at the Inn.

Viktor listened, finding it easy to picture because the village had barely changed over the years. He could definitely imagine the three friends playing in the Church. It would be lovely if more children lived in the village, but it would also be sad, because they would all leave to go and see the world, like Yuri was planning to do. Like Yuuri did. Takeshi and Yuuko were a special case. They were fated. Well, that’s just one of Viktor’s romantic ideas.

Yuuri, whom rarely talked directly to Viktor, offered him a ride home, but Viktor refused, as he had wanted to enjoy the walk home. Quietly, the man handed his bundle of roses before saying goodbye. Takeshi waved to him from the carriage, and Viktor watched as the lovely carriage and horses rode away, towards where Yuuri’s rented stables were, located past the church.

As Viktor walked home he passed the low patches of wild roses again, and couldn’t help but imagine three little children running down the lane towards the church. Yuuko would probably be so engrossed with plucking the roses, whilst Takeshi complained for her to be quicker. Yuuri, well, would he meekly waited behind Takeshi? Or would he join Yuuko in plucking the roses?

Viktor smiled at his increasingly larger white bundle, and decided to picture a little Yuuri extending his shirt for Yuuko to dump her roses into.

What a lovely thought, but that was it. Viktor loved this village, and he wished he would find home here, but there was just one thing that he couldn’t find.

He wished to find an anchor like Yuuko and Takeshi had found in each other.

 


	2. Let it Happen when it Happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wedding music that Phichit's band played is a song by Emily Hackett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeWXdkEUPbo  
> (I have a headcanon that Phichit and Isabella sing really well! Although Isabella and JJ are a couple here she's close friends with Phichit. She'll sing some more in the future!)

The wedding was a cheerful one.

Yuuko had this beautiful wide smile, and Takeshi was just so struck with love.

Everyone wanted to be filled with joy, they cheered when Father Lambiel pronounce them husband and wife and let them kiss. Viktor couldn’t help but tear up a little. Isabella and Christophe had decided to make it a contest on who would catch the bride’s bouquet. The one playing the wedding march was JJ, and he kept teasing Yuri’s Spring Time piece before finally playing properly.

Yuuri arrived with the carriage before the church’s yard, and Viktor had to admit in his mind that the man looked bewitching in that black tux.

Sara, being the flower girl, had dragged her twin brother Michele to lead the carriage. Walking happily in front of Yuratchka and Vitya as they made a round in the village, scattering petals of pink roses. Viktor could see the carriage’s roof was retracted up, and as much as he wanted to follow the crowd for the carriage’s round, he had to stay at the church to help Isabella and Phichit preparing for the reception.

Phichit was an orchestra and band leader from town, and he had brought a few of his members to play during the reception; Guang Hong and Leo. The piano was moved to the garden. Leo seemed to be talking to Yuri about the music pieces and for the boy to relax and enjoy it. Guang Hong was making sure Leo’s cell bass and Yuuri's guitar were in perfect condition, then tuning his own viola. Phichit explained to Yuri that they would play a song for the wedding's first dance. Today Isabella would join and sing a duet with Phichit.

Viktor helped Christophe preparing wine. The bottles were kept in the river overnight, so they were pleasantly cold even before they dip it into ice buckets. Aunt Hiroko arrived in time with an old carriage and the feast was ready when the bride and groom returned for the reception. More guests arrived following the carriage.

It was funny watching Yuuri running towards the party for his life and nearly stumbled over the piano, taking the guitar placed by the seat, his hands trembling. However, the crowd continued merrily as he took a breath and nodded to Yuri, who waved and licked his lip to take position. Yuuri easily let go of his nervousness as he picked on gentle notes, whilst Yuri was so nervous he stumbled here and there until Phichit set his hands on his shoulders, quietly telling the boy to relax and just have fun. Phichit began to sing out a gentle hum, and everyone gave a welcoming applause at the intro.

Yuri took a deep breath and entered with his violin, a cue for the groom and bride to stand and start the first dance.

Christophe sat next to Viktor in one of the round tables, sighing as he held the bouquet in his laps.

“I’m so getting married,” he said in a daydream, “And you’re definitely going to decorate for mine, too, promise?”

Viktor chuckled. “I’d be honored. Well, I would give you a 50% off if you’d tell me who’s the mystery man...Besides, are you not going to be a teacher?”

“Ha, speak for yourself, Viktor. I have no interest in going to town, that was all _you_. I have everything I want here. Don’t you want to settle down yourself? You’re older than I do—yet, Isabella and JJ, being younger than both of us, are _raring_ to get married! Seriously, they’re like, _teens_!”

Christophe was like Yuuri, had left the village to see the world, but returned and gladly took over his family’s winery. The man fit perfectly in that business. Chris had returned before Viktor moved to the village, and they had been good friends ever since. Chris had found anchor from a town man that he’s yet to reveal, but eager to hitch with. It was annoying for Viktor, who’s dying to know the man, because Chris would talk about ‘my mystery man’ and everything they did whenever they have a date in Saturday evening.

The feast was amazing. Viktor had traveled around the world before, yet he’d sworn that Hiroko Katsuki was the best cook this world would ever had. He’d eat Mari’s stuff once in a while, but the tomboy lady was much more of an expert bell-girl; very skillful with cleaning. Isabella, being a _patisserie_ , was quite a good cook, but she didn’t hold a candle on Hiroko. Viktor wished the plump woman would live on a long life, or if possible, forever, so that everyone could find joy in her food.

Speaking of Hiroko, now that he thought about it, Yuuri looked a lot like his mother. Not just because both wore glasses, but they had this adorable plump cheeks and warm eyes. And when Yuuri was laughing at Yuri’s nervousness, Viktor couldn’t help but think that their smile was so similar, and it’s lovely. And when their eyes met, Viktor couldn’t help but smile, without meaning to. He didn't realize that the first song had ended and the small music group had started playing an upbeat dance music piece.

“You’re _staring_ ,” Isabella whispered at the other side of Viktor, and Chris ‘ooooh’ed scandalously, making Viktor realize that _he was staring!?_

“Wh—I was just...”

“Aww, you scared him, Viknik~” Isabella giggled, and Yuuri was indeed, looking away with ears and neck visibly red from behind.

“Oh, ho, I see how it is~ Right, Belle?” Chris teased, and high-fived with the ravenette, then laughing when Viktor whimpered and bowed his head down in embarrassment.

It’s not that he was eager for marriage or anything. Viktor was content with his life, he was just feeling...unbound, with this village. He wanted to be attached to something, and it didn’t have to be love, right? Well, it’s love, but it didn’t have to be marriage...He was a bit frustrated whenever his friends poke fun with him in this matter.

Well he couldn’t help it.

He’s older than Yuuko and Takeshi, yet he’s unmarried, and he didn’t even have someone planned like Isabella or Christophe. He didn’t even dare to hope or imagine living with someone for the rest of his life. He had a lot of flaws. Thinking that one day he would live with someone who’d see his flaws everyday was frightening.

Yuuko could accept Takeshi because they’ve been together for a long time. Isabella was open-minded, and she had been with JJ since college anyway. Christophe was a very open guy, obviously, and he’s eager to share his everything with his beloved (whoever that was) because that’s just how he was.

Wedding was beautiful, for Viktor. But the life of wedded was unimaginable for him. Frightening, even. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the concept whereas two would live together everyday. It’s different with Yuri, because Yuri would eventually leave, and everyone with children would experience that. However, a wife or a husband would stay together for...well, supposedly forever. Wouldn’t that be dreadfully boring? Moreover, Viktor couldn’t even imagine the depression when his partner grew tired of him and leave or divorce him. He just couldn’t.

He was selfish, what if no one could handle that?

He was a perfectionist, what if no one would bear with that?

He was very demanding when he open up, what if—

“Finally rest,” Viktor just realized that he had been zoning out to the point that Christophe had left to dance with Yuuko, and the person sitting beside him was none other than Toshiya Katsuki. “Why the quietness, Vicchan?” the man inquired casually, resting his head to the cushion of the seat.

“Hello, Toshiya, sir.” Viktor greeted back. “Just thinking a bit too deeply,” he laughed.

Toshiya chuckled and relaxed in his seat. “You don’t really have to think too deeply when seeing what a relationship would be, y’know?”

Viktor opened his mouth in horror, but Toshiya laughed.

“Bull’s eye? Can’t help it, you lookit, and with your age, can’t blame ya.” Toshiya sighed and closed his eyes, taking off his glasses and set them on his laps. Viktor couldn't help but notice that Yuuri had inherited his father's thick, slanting eyebrows.

“What was it like for you and Hiroko?” Viktor couldn’t help but ask. He’d talk with Toshiya a lot, but he never really asked that question.

The man hummed a while.

“Mmm, how was it again...?” he thought aloud, a hand on his chin. “We were friends, we separated ways, we met again, we caught up...one day I just realized that I want us to go on. And she agreed. And then, I bought that land...we built a house, got married. I found the hot spring. We had Mari. We opened the inn. We had Yuuri.”

“I didn’t really think too much about it. It happened. It came and I just...well, there’s of course a bit of struggle here and there, but Hiroko would always look after me, and so do I, for her. I don’t really think about it, but it felt like it just happen like it’s supposed to be.”

“And how do you know it’s supposed to be?”

“You don’t. That’s why you don’t really have to think about it when it’s happening. You don’t really have to focus on 'if something’s right for you', but you have to think if 'it’s working or not'.” Toshiya chuckled, and patted Viktor’s shoulder. “Don’t need to think too much, no need to look for it, you won’t feel it until it comes to you, and you’ll naturally think that you’d want this person to live with you for the rest of your life. When you find it, you’ll go after it without even thinking.”

Viktor smiled wryly. It was sort of hard to imagine, but Viktor understood a bit. After all, he being in this village was one of the proof that he didn’t think much, and he didn’t regret it.

Maybe he was just lonely when he saw his friends with their beloved. Though now that he’s listened to Toshiya’s words, he felt at ease.

He was not alone in essence, and he’d enjoy that. For now, he didn’t need to worry about finding a partner, and he’s content with that.

The wedding party ended and Viktor danced once with Yuuko.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Viktor is a 28 years old Florist at the beginning of this, he's moved to the village for two years.
> 
> -Yuuri is 24 years-old. 
> 
> -Yuri Plisetsky is Viktor's cousin, he's 15 and is a junior high school student, he goes to school in the town.
> 
> -Yuri and Viktor were Yakov and Lilia's nephews. The couple were deceased of old age. 
> 
> -Lilia was Nikolai's eldest daughter, and he had 3 daughters, along with Yuri's and Viktor's mother. 
> 
> -Yuri lived with his grandfather, Nikolai, but after he passed away (quite recently), Yuri moved in with Viktor, but he lived mostly in the dorm. 
> 
> -Viktor's parents were divorced when he just entered college.


	3. Quiet Sunday Afternoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Viktor and Yuuri are finally becoming friends, albeit not-so-close, yet. We'll learn a bit more about Viktor here!

There wasn’t exactly much to do when you’re a florist and live in a small village. Summer was near, and Viktor had finished moving what’s left of Spring Blooms into the hothouse. He’ll need a week until his orders of summer flowers arrive. Yuri had left the village  to spend his summer term and studying music. The only amusement he had would be watching Yuuri Katsuki moving back and forth with his carriage. Morning to town, night to field.

Sometimes he would go to greet him so that he could have a reason to pet Yuratchka and Vitya. He loved those horses.

Sometimes he spent his time sketching a bouquet design, but the first week of July was going so slow without something inspiring! Viktor decided to pull out his plant lists. The forest still had plants to be found, and he’ll play the plant hunter since he’s got the whole summer ahead of him alone.

Well, he planned to do so when the bell of his hothouse chimed, and Yuuri peeked from the gap of the door.

“Hello,” he greeted. “I was wondering, if...” he gulped and looked down in a pause. Viktor was so surprised to have a visitor that he didn’t move, still holding his books.

“I’m, uh, yes?”

“It’s just that, I’m confused, how deep am I supposed to plant sunflower seeds?” Yuuri asked after calming himself.

“Well, one to two inch would be neat...”

“And how much the distance from each seeds would be good...I’m really not good with flowers, but Phichit gave me five seeds and I just want to know how to take care of them...” the man rambled.

Viktor smiled, deciding that his plant hunting could wait. “Hey, I’ll show you. I want to see your field, if you don’t mind?”

The raven haired look perplexed for a second, before giving a small smile. “Okay, but you have to hold on tight, because Roy is still easily excited.”

“...Roy?”

 

* * *

 

Today Yuuri didn’t have his carriage. He was riding on a bright brown American horse named Roy. Yes, named after Jean Jacques Leroy by the man himself; JJ said he wanted this particular horse to pull his lodge cart. The Canadian carpenter had paid Yuuri to train the horse for three weeks, but Yuuri made a deal that he’ll make Roy walk in a week if they’d double the pay.

And what a ride was it.

Viktor was seen grinning, but in all honesty, he was gritting his teeth in fear of biting his own tongue, because Roy was one big jumpy horse. At times the horse would randomly make an excited circle like a dog, before Yuuri yanked on its rein to calm him down.

“Why—Why is he running!?” Viktor trembled because Roy just jumped over a pebble in their path.

“Because it’s better than him running in a circle. He’ll tire himself out soon, but hold on tight or you’ll be thrown off the saddle,” Yuuri said loud enough, and Viktor had to marvel at how his voice was unaffected by the rocky ride. He had a death-grip on Yuuri’s strong shoulders.

Yuuri’s field was a bit further to the east, just at the end of the hills where the sun would pop out every morning. It was huge, and Viktor couldn’t believe that Yuuri had plowed everything, and how half of the field was already filled with wheat and patches of potatoes nearly ripe here and there. There was a big poodle running around in the fields, chasing a cat in a playful rendezvous.

By the time they neared the farmhouse, Roy had walked, and Viktor had to resist the urge to kiss the ground when he got down. Yuuri went to let Roy join Yuratchka and Vitya in the pasture. Viktor eyed the sunflower seeds lined up by the door.

Yuuri returned to him, taking off his gloves. “Takeshi helped me planting, but Vitya was strong enough to help me plow...And that’s Vicchan. Hello, girl!”

The brown poodle barked as she excitedly run towards them and Yuuri prepared a stance to catch the excited canonball of brown fur, making Viktor laugh. The girl finished licking her master before curiously running around Viktor’s feet and finally nuzzling face to his knees. It was odd to see a big poodle in a field, but then Viktor remembered that it’s probably because Yuuri was originally living in an Inn. Poodles do fit in an Inn.

“What an adorable girl. Did you call her Vicchan? Your dad calls me that too,”

Yuuri laughed. “He does? Well, Vicchan was here too when I was little, but I brought her to town with me because dad says she fell ill when I left. She’s so...attached to me,” Yuuri chuckled warmly when the poodle quickly nuzzled towards him again, as if saying: ‘Don’t go, I was just being friendly with this guy!’

Then, Viktor taught Yuuri how to plant the sunflower seeds. They had to be distanced at least 6 inches from each other. He explained that it’s important to water them 20 days before and after they bloom, and the other intricts of Sunflowers. Viktor then asked if he could pet the horses, and Yuuri gave him apples before leaving to work on the fields again. Vicchan followed behind excitedly.

This was definitely refreshing. Well, hunting plants was also refreshing, but he was alone, and wild plants were not like flowers or horses, he couldn’t just talk to them, asking if they want more water or praising them as good and smart. Sometimes Vicchan played around close to him and asked him to throw a stick a couple of times before getting whimpering, wanting to return to Yuuri, but felt guilty if she leaves Viktor.

“Pet her and tell her that it’s okay,” Yuuri said across the field, his front shirt was visibly dirty.

Viktor knelt down to pet the poodle and cooed, telling her that she should go to Yuuri and he’ll be okay, instantly getting an affectionate lick before Vicchan rushes away to cling to Yuuri, or, trample the man until he fell on face to the dirt. Viktor laughed. He found the poodle very adorable to have such a complex attachment to her owner; it’s nearly humane.

Yuuri told him that Yuratchka wouldn’t pull a carriage without Vitya, so  when Vitya was ill, he couldn’t go anywhere far because Yuratchka wouldn’t go either. Some horses are like that, wouldn’t go well without a partner. Yuuri planned to find a female horse to breed, because Vitya and Yuratchka were good horses. Roy was so big compared to Yuratchka and Vitya, the American horse seemed to have a hard time to befriend the other two, but he seems too ignorant to blend anyway.

“Yuuri,” Viktor called, and realizing it was probably the first time he called the man’s name. “It’s noon, shouldn’t you take a break?”

“Right,” Yuuri wiped his forehead with the back of his arm, frowning at the sun. “Thanks for your help, Viktor. I’ll drop you to your house first,” he said, taking off his farming loves and walked across the huge field to wash his hands at the water pump.

“It’s okay, I can walk from here.” Viktor said, joining to wash his hands because they were licked by the horses, but soon Vicchan ran towards them and licked him again, and he could only laugh, kneeling to pet the big poodle.

“No, it’s lunchtime and it’s too far from your place, and,” Yuuri wiped his face with a towel that he then set on the fence, “The sun is too hot, or maybe it’s because I’ve been moving under it for hours.”

“Okay then,” Viktor looked up at Yuuri with a smile, subtly realizing that Yuuri had stood over him to protect him from the sun’s glare. “Then, let me treat you to lunch. I’m not a decent cook, but your mom forced me to keep food every week. Yesterday she gave me a jar of pickled eggs.”

Yuuri licked his lips, gulping. “I’d love that; now that you say pickled eggs I’m so hungry all of a sudden. You don’t mind if we ride Roy, though? Or you wanna wait a bit, I can prepare the carriage.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine, let’s have Roy.”

 

* * *

 

It’s been a while since Viktor had someone over lunch. Sometimes Yuri didn’t even come for lunch, since he’ll eat Hiroko’s cooking anyway when doing part-time. At first Yuuri said he was too embarrassed to come in because his shirt was dirty, but Viktor insisted. Yuuri complimented his living room.

The house was originally Yakov’s and Lilia’s. They were both uncle and aunt to Viktor and Yuri. Yuri lived with Viktor after their grandfather passed away, because his mother had to work, and he didn’t have a father. Viktor had been living here and there; as a child, he had once spent a summer with Yakov and Lilia, but he moved a lot because of his parents’ job, and he moved out even further after his parents’ divorce.

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Yuuri said with a frown.

“It’s okay. It’s not a bad break up or anything,” Viktor shrugged. “They just didn’t work. They’d still meet up with me and we’d have dinner sometimes but that’s it. I was busy with college anyways.”

Viktor had been a teacher in an American Public School for a short year before moving to Finland and had a blast with his career. He released a book of several researches on plantology, joined on a forest reservation campaign, enjoying the hectic life, but after all of that, he was twenty five when he visited his aunt.

“She willed this home for me...and just two years ago, I moved here.”

“So you’re not teaching anymore?” Yuuri tilted his head, they’ve long finished their meal and had been talking for a while.

“I do. I teach elementary to middle grades during winter semester in the other village. I help them to get a certificate, since the junior high school is in town, but not everyone can afford to live in the dormitory like my cousin.”

“The other village...But that’s like 20 kilometers from here, and we don’t have cars,”

“Of course, but the Altins lended me their lodge. I taught their son in Finland once, so they warmed up to me quickly. When they knew I was going to teach there during winter terms, they hurriedly asked me to stay in their winter-lodge.”

The other village was even more barren and solitude; a vast land solely focused and used for farming. There wasn’t an inn nor marketplace, because the place was the source of the farm-stocks. They built a school there and it’s open for six months in a year. Viktor usually taught there for three months during November throughout January, because he wouldn’t have a lot to do in his flower shop during snow. The school opens in Summer, but they’d have a different teacher at the time.

It was past three after noon when Viktor finished answering and explaining things that Yuuri questioned, and they were staring at Viktor’s garden through the window in silence. At the very least, that’s the basic things everyone in the village knew about him. He didn’t mind retelling, because he didn’t have many to tell nor did he have many that would listen.

They could hear a howl in the distance when stars began to fade into the sky.

“That’s Vicchan,” Yuuri chuckled, his movements obviously giving a sign of departure. “Thank you for having me, Viktor. Tell my mom it was delicious,” he joked, and earning a bursting laugh from Viktor.

He was half-way having Yuuri  to the door when on impulse, Viktor grabbed the younger man’s shoulder before quickly turning his touch into a tap.

 _What am I doing_?

“If you don’t mind, we can do this again...well, not all the time, of course. I mean, tomorrow, I mean, if I’m bored, do you mind if I drop by? I can bring lunch or something,” Viktor decided to push his luck anyways, though he had stuttered his words and for a second there, and had no idea what he was saying himself.

The raven haired seemed to stare at him calculatingly, but broke into a bright smile.

“You’re my friend, you don’t have to ask for permission to drop by or feel that you have to bring me anything, you know?” he said, half-laughing, and patted Viktor on the shoulder before saying good bye and mounted Roy.

Viktor watched the horse leave, feeling a bit dazed, because Yuuri made sense; visiting randomly just to talk or watch the flowers or just to sit around was something normal in the village. Though he had been alone for a while and if not for Yuuri, he’d forgotten. It’s different from the town; you can’t just idle around a shop without buying something. Here, a friendly visit was welcomed as long as you’ve properly been introduced.

Maybe he was acting silly because he forgot that Yuuri was originally from this village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I am not going to name which country the villages are, so that I have freedom at determining their school system haha
> 
> -Just in case it's a bit confusing, the school in town has 4 short terms divided per-season, but in the village it's divided into 6 terms per Spring and Summer, because the villagers are mainly farmers (in the other village) and the studying had to adjust the business of farming time. 
> 
> -Yuri Plisetsky had only studied in the village for a year before moving to study in town, but he comes home every season during his breaks, because Phichit does that, and he needs to practice to join the orchestra.


	4. A Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided that I am going to update all the chapters so that I can move on and work on something else hahaha!

They didn’t meet for a while. Summer was there, and farmers had a lot to do during this season. Viktor may not be a farmer, but he plants flowers too, and it’s a busy season because flowers are blooming ferociously right now. He had met Phichit a countless time throughout July to August because he’d ship a lot of flowers out of the village.

In mid-August, Phichit Chulanont would usually take a break from his orchestra and help out his family’s shipping business. He’s soon to take over because for the Thai boy, shipping had been his passion. The orchestra had been something to pass the time, and he was talented with show, so why waste a talent? Though this summer, he’d bring Leo, because the teen would take over the orchestra when Phichit turned twenty five. On that note, Yuri returned as well. They’d have practice in the inn where Leo’s staying for the summer. Usually Yuri would have dinner there as usual.

“Don’t forget to bring the list when you visit, I need those seeds by October!” Viktor would remind his young cousin who was scrambling to leave the house with his violin case.

“Got it, got it. Viktor, you need to check your mailbox, by the way,” the blond teen said, closing the door behind him.

Viktor finished weeding out the flowers in the hothouse before leaving to check his mailbox. He had a printed email from his alma mater, an invitation for high school reunion. They didn’t have good reception for internet, nor a wide enough road for cars. Viktor had his junior, Mila, to check for his emails. He’s one of the people who didn’t use emails for super personal stuff.

High school reunion. How crazy it was to think that _it felt_ like it was only a week ago he left that place, but it was actually eleven years since.

He also got wedding invitations from his college friends, which he probably wouldn’t attend since he barely remembered anyone. School, college, it had been fuzzy for him because he moved around a lot. He didn’t have close friends. By the time he went to college he got so focused in studying that he didn’t enjoy things like frat parties or getting wasted. Though Viktor was charismatic enough; he didn’t need to get wasted to be fun.

But he couldn’t help to think, as he sat down on his porch, letters splayed around by his side; _is this it_? Would he really accept this life of living alone in this village, taking care of the flowers, teaching every winter, with several wedding services as the spice and momentum for the rest of his life?

What if he were to die?

Viktor imagined dying. He would be so old, he would be in a rocking chair by the fireplace and he fell asleep alone, and it was over.

Wouldn’t that be fine too?

Then why there was this annoying small voice at the back of his head, saying; _there must be something more_.

But what?

Viktor let out a long sigh. The summer heat was getting to him. He felt so demotivated he just didn’t feel like doing anything. It wasn’t depression...but it’s along that line. He was too old for a mid-life crisis; he was set to have this life, he wasn’t lost.

But something, _something_ was missing.

“Yo, Viktor~! Been a while!” a loud feminine voice was heard. It was familiar but Viktor had rarely heard it, he couldn’t remember until he saw the person. “Slow day?”

It was Minako Okukawa, his aunt’s protege. It was amazing to look at her because she looked as if she hadn’t aged, when she’s in fact, older than Hiroko who had two mature children. They shared the same alma mater in France but different majors and degree. The woman was a ballerina, and currently have her own ballet house overseas.

“Coming home without a hand to hold?”

“I’m single and _still_ not up for mingle,” Minako sang, leaning towards the pillar of the porch whilst Viktor straightened his sitting posture. “You’re too young to live here for the rest of your lives, you know. Why not take a trip around the world?”

“I’ve done that.”

“But not for vacation,”

“It doesn’t matter,” Viktor smiled. “I’ve appreciated them, and I don’t need to show off a chain of instagram pictures to people I don’t care. How was Italy?”

“Delicious, but I miss Hiroko-chan’s katsudon. She told me to drop by and see if you’re dead because you haven’t been visiting for weeks.”

They exchanged a bit of what’s up for a while, before Minako asking him to join and visit Yuuri’s field. Having nothing better to do, he agreed. Secretly though, he had been thinking of visiting, but he somewhat felt embarrassed for no reason. Now he had a legit reason to visit with Minako.

However, the field was empty except for Vicchan who seemed much more bloated than the last time he visited. And the couple horses were in the pasture.

“Maybe he was training Roy?”

“Roy? When was that?”

“Well...a month ago.”

“Yuuri didn’t take long to train a horse,” Minako pointed out, bending down to pet Vicchan. Viktor then remembered that Yuuri made a deal with JJ that he’d tame Roy in a week. “Hello Vicchan! Remember me? So, who knocked you up, girl? Was he a good poodle?”

Viktor took a bit time to realize what the woman was saying before squatting down to pet Vicchan.

“She’s pregnant,” he said the obvious with an excited smile. Vicchan wasn’t as lively because of her pregnancy, but she was still very friendly to lick their faces and whimpered, as if asking where Yuuri was.

Minako cooed the big poodle before standing up to look around with an impressed face.

“Wow, he did surprisingly well with this. Oh, and that’s Vitya and Yura, they’re so big now!” she excitedly went to find a sack of dried up apples by the fence before running to the pasture. It’s a custom that hadn’t changed for years, to have dried up apples in farms that have horses.

Minako then told Viktor that Yuuri had always had a way with animals, so she was a bit surprised when hearing that he’d return to take over a field and be a farmer. Though she was not worried, because he’d have all the help he needed in this village.

There had been new patches of oats and corns. Viktor smiled at the sight of gloriously blooming sunflowers standing proud in front of the house. He couldn’t help but wonder if Yuuri would move from the farmhouse during winter. Minako was about to say they should leave, but they heard loud neighs from afar and a shouting voice.

It was an intense thing to watch. Viktor and Minako had to move to the porch because Yuuri, with his carriage, had to run two horses around the field’s side. New horses. The couple jumped around wildly, and Viktor, hugging Vicchan, had to hold his breath whenever the horses stood on their feet, nearly bringing the front of the carriage with them.

It took half an hour until Yuuri managed to tone them down, and dragged them into the stable. They were not tame enough to stay in the pasture, and would annoy Yura and Vitya.

Yuuri hugged the leaping Minako who was gushing at how big he was now. The woman then proceeded baring her true age by acting like a doting old woman, asking if he’s eating well, if he’s not hurt, if he’s had problem with the new life. Viktor had an amused smile the entire rambling. Yuuri apologized to them, not knowing that anyone would visit in the middle of this burning summer.

“What about lunch? Did you guys have lunch? It’s almost evening though. What about dinner then? I’ll cook,” Yuuri offered, wiping sweat that’s dampening his entire shirt. “I’m not as good as my mother, but we’ll see,” he grinned, ushering the two into his house.

The inside of the house was layered with thick woods and wallpapers. It was warm, but there was a sliding paper door that could be replaced with woods during winter, so the house wasn’t heated up, because it was always open. If not for the chairs and table, the place was still fairly empty. There was a shelf with books, a coat hanging from a nail on the wall, and a single-top stove. A bountiful amount of eggs were hung inside a net basket from a chain on the roof. Yuuri didn’t have a fridge, but he returned with fresh vegetables. There was a river stream behind his house just a bit beneath the hills where he’d keep his vegetables.

“And a lot of potatoes,” Yuuri added, handing several freshly uprooted potatoes for Minako to brush. “I just dropped a whole sack at the inn. The first time I uprooted one it was so heavy, I fell over, but there was a lot! I was gonna drop a sack for you too, but you weren’t there,” he added, nodding to Viktor who was in charge of making tea. “It’s still in the carriage; the sack, I mean.”

“Wouldn’t they be bad? Those horses were wild,”

“They’re fine. The potatoes, I mean. I actually had those potatoes on board so that the horses wouldn’t drag my cart whenever they jump.” Yuuri chuckled, and Minako sighed at his recklessness with horses. The woman lamented about how Yuuri would one day break his neck from the horse training.

Viktor brew the tea, but glance at the pair. Minako didn’t look old, and they way she fussed Yuuri was lovely. Maybe they’d make a good couple if Minako wasn’t so fierce about her decision to not get chained with marriage.

Viktor wasn’t anything like Minako, he hadn’t decide if he’d like to marry or not...But his age...

“...Viktor, it’s fuming—the kettle, I mean.” Yuuri’s voice woke him up, and he turned off the stove in panic. They had to take turn in grilling because there was only one stove top. Yuuri fried chips and sweet egg rolls, and Minako seasoned the salad according Yuuri’s instructions.

Viktor set the tea when Yuuri and Minako brought their lunchner (?) to the table. The salad was sweet and sour, a refreshing citrucy aroma, and the eggs were really good. They eat the chips with mayonnaise dip. Yuuri laughed while pointing out that he hadn’t been cooking anything decent for a while because he’d just cook a sunny side up and grab a bread or boil some potatoes.

“You need a wife...or a husband,” Minako sighed. “For me, I’ll have a butler soon. My current manager is going on an early retire because he’s going to get married. Ugh.”

“You can’t suggest me to find a partner when you end it with an ‘ugh’, sensei,” Yuuri laughed.

“Sensei...teacher?” Viktor tilted his head. “Was Minako your teacher, Yuuri?”

“I got him into ballet a few years, but he was into the ballet _music_ ,” the woman laughed upon seeing Yuuri’s guilty pout. “Surprising, huh? Well not really, since no matter how hard he works, he’d be as soft as a baby dog. I mean puppy.” She teased whilst pinching the younger man’s cheek.

“Okay sensei stop...” he whined, and distract the attention to Viktor. “Do you have some artistic, hobbies, Viktor? Well, out of flower arranging, of course.”

“Well, I draw, sometimes. Mostly flowers, but I sketch here and there if bored,” Viktor remembered that annoying time during high school when his classmates would ask him to draw them.

“That’s wonderful. Do you like sketching views? If you’re bored sometimes, maybe you’d like to come with me and hike? You’ve seen the mountain’s top, right?”

“Not really, I couldn’t go...I’m usually late to catch up with Yuri—my cousin, Yuri—and he’d be gone with the others. If I go on my own, I’ll get lost because I haven’t had a tour. I’ve seen the forest, though. It’s easier to manage the signs around there.”

“Then we should go, maybe, I mean, if you don’t mind and have free time...” Yuuri’s invitation turned into an unsure mumbling that made Viktor smile in amusement.

When Yuuri dropped him back to his Flower Shop, he helped Viktor to drag a big sack of potatoes. He said he had given everyone in the village each a sack as big, and Viktor couldn’t help but imagine the new horses trying to jump in futile due to the carriage’s weight. When he waved to Yuuri and Minako who were heading to the inn with the carriage, Viktor then wondered what he could do with such big amount of potatoes with his limited ability in cooking.


	5. Summer Night

Nearing the end of August, there was a gathering at the inn. There were a lot of tourists this year, so the place was unusually crowded, but Viktor found it amusing. Besides, they helped Viktor to get orders here and there. The road was lit with small lanterns—Sara, Yuuko, and Isabella had to make rounds to set them. The lanterns would run out by dawn.

The gathering was a reenacting of the Katsuki’s homeland tradition; _Obon_. On Viktor’s first year here, Mari had delivered a _yukata_ for him. It was Yakov’s. Yuri’s yukata was tailored anew by Sara, who’s done a great job despite being an apprentice under her mother. Mrs. Crispino was the village’s seamstress.

“Viktor, you’re so slow!” Yuri complained, bouncing on his feet. They heard firecrackers from the road, and Yuri gasped in excitement. “That’s Kenjirou! He’s brought firecrackers! I gotta go!”

“Fine, fine, sheesh! You never help anyways!” Viktor whined, struggling with his sash, unsure how to wear it without making it look like a bathrobe. After a while, silence returned; Yuri had left far enough, and Viktor gave up with a sigh.

Maybe he’ll just watch the fireworks from here. The last two years, he had Yuuko and Takeshi fussing over him to go to Obon, but now Yuuko and Takeshi were in town because she’s most likely pregnant, and were doing a check with the doctor.

When Viktor was about to resign to his fate on missing the obon, someone called his name.

“Viiktooor, Yuri said you couldn’t put on your yukata again,”

“Mila!” Viktor exclaimed, carefully welcoming the girl while making sure his yukata covered his front.

Mila, his junior in college, was currently a trainee biology researcher in town. She’s arrived wearing a white, red-flowered yukata with pink sash and complete with the _geta_ that clicked-and-clocked on the wooden floor as she fussed and helped Viktor with his yukata.

Though she did it in vain.

“Why is the sash so different!?” she complained.

“You tell me! How did Yuri even tie this thing up?”

“He’s always good with fashion, that closet Japanese-nerd...Wait, there’s someone at your door. I’ll get them.” Mila left Viktor’s bedroom, and the silver-haired huffed in despair, holding his undone sash, nearly tearing up for no reason. He was stressed.

“Viktor, there’s this Yuuri guy asking for you,”

“Oh, no, tell him I’m sick—“

“Actually, you know what, can you help my poor friend put on his yukata? He’s going to tear up soon,” Mila said loudly before closing the door, leaving Viktor to groan into his hands. It didn’t took long when his door creaked slowly, and Yuuri peeked in.

“Hi,” he awkwardly said with a wry smile. “I’ll help you, if you want to. But don’t...cry?”

Viktor took a deep breath. “I’m not. And please.”

He’s an angry crier, and he hated that.

Yuuri wasn’t fussing and freaking out like Mila, nor he’d chat up brightly like how Yuuko did, but he’d tell him to raise his arms with a gentle voice. Instead of going around to tie the sash like how he remembered Yuuko did, Yuuri did it from behind, as if embracing him, but not quite.

“And that’s it,” Yuuri said with a satisfied smile, and then handed a fan that had been tucked in his sash. “It’s gonna be fun if you use it to dance with Mila.”

“Thank you,” Viktor smiled, following Yuuri out of his room, and Mila cheered upon seeing Viktor’s well-done yukata, praising Yuuri as a saviour.

“Now, let’s go! I can hear the drum now! Mari’s taiko is always too exciting to miss!” Mila cheered, skipping ahead as he dragged Viktor by the hand.

They were meters away when Viktor realized that Yuuri had stayed behind, standing in front of his garden. The bespectacled young man just nodded at him with a smile, before turning around and headed for the opposite direction, away from the obon.

Viktor halted, making Mila nearly trip from the abrupt stop.

“What is it?”

“You should go ahead,” Viktor smiled, and Mila was staring for a bit, before looking behind him and gasped. The red head gave her senior a scandalized smirk and a wink.

“Okay, tell me all about it tomorrow, or I’ll order a box of _Viagra_ with your email so you’ll _man up_!” Mila giggled excitedly as she ran off.

“Don’t you even think about it—ugh...that brat,” Viktor chuckled, fanning himself as he turned to watch Yuuri’s back going further away.

Biting his lower lip, Viktor decided to damn it all and chase that boy.

“H-Hey, Yuuri!” he called, and the younger man stopped, turning with a surprised look, eyes wide. “You’re not going to the obon?”

Yuuri still looked perplexed, now turning to face the taller man upfront, and did this cute thing where he tiptoed to look over Viktor’s shoulders.

“Aren’t you going with, um, Mila?” he asked shyly, ruffling the back of his head.

“No, she was just checking up on me because my cousin asked her to. Anyways,” their conversation died down the moment a crackling explosion brightened the sky with fire-flowers.

It brightened everything beneath them with colors; the dim lanterns set low by the road couldn’t over-shine the fireworks that had began to decorate the night summer sky. They were brighter than the stars. There was an unspoken agreement between Yuuri and Viktor as they continued to watch the fireworks in silence.

It was probably around ten to fifteen minutes when Viktor unconsciously began to tap his foot. Noticing this, Yuuri gently tapped his arms.

“Would you like to ride the carriage with me?” Yuuri’s face was colored with the blue of the fireworks. Sometimes the lights were reflected from his glasses, hiding the warm brown beneath.

Viktor grinned, nodding in delight.

~.X.~

Viktor didn’t know what to say.

He wondered if he was being boring, or if Yuuri expected him to talk, but the younger man was quiet himself, and Viktor decided he wanted to be himself. And by that, he just wanted to enjoy this night without having to be chatty or bright, and Viktor realized, if Yuuri didn’t like him that way, then it’s his loss.

Yura and Vitya were walking cheerily, pulling the carriage with ease, enjoying the summer night themselves. They rode around, a bit further from Yuuri’s fields, circling a low plate where lavenders bloomed, filling the ground with gentle purple, a beautiful circle of sweet scent. The wind was gentle, spreading the relaxing aroma as if trying to lure everyone to enjoy the night.

“Would you mind if we go a bit higher? You haven’t seen beyond the hills, right?” Yuuri started slowly, taking Viktor’s mind off of his romantics.

“With the carriage?”

“It’s fine. Yura and Vitya are used to mountain tracks,” Yuuri assured, clicking his tongue to get Vitya away from munching tall weeds by the roadside. Viktor agreed, completely trusting the horses and Yuuri’s skill with the carriage.

He had to admit, he was also curious of what lies beyond the higher cliffs. Yuuri pointed out that they wouldn’t go too high, but there was a place that was enjoyable in summer and winter.

Yuuri brought them to a pond.

There was a pond in in the mountains; a puddle that was contained mostly by old willow roots. Yuuri was told by his father that the willow fell off its perch from the cliff, but it strive to live. The erosion also caused the small part of the plate to lower. When the willow survived and encircled the plate with its root, and rain came down for weeks in the village, thus creating the pond. It was simply named the Willow Pond.

They could sit on the spread roots of the enormous tree that took its place as a large shade over the pond. Yuuri let Yura and Vitya to munch on the root’s moss, Viktor was already dipping his feet in the pond when Yuuri said it was alright. The silver haired stretched his toes, enjoying the gentle silky moss beneath his feet, carefully maneuvering as to not step on tadpoles. There were ducks tucking in the corners, unfrightened by humans.

Viktor looked up; the moon was right above him. It was enormous and glorious, it felt magical, and it was reflected on the small pond. He turned to look at Yuuri, who was sitting on the roots, using his pocket knife to slice an apple he had brought in the carriage. He threw the skin onto the pond, and small fishes quickly came out to crowd it. Viktor approached the edge.

“Maybe I should have brought more food,” Yuuri wondered aloud as he handed half the apple for Viktor.

Viktor took a bite, humming in delight at the fresh, sweet crunchiness. He took a seat beside Yuuri.

“No, this is enough.”

“We can’t see the fireworks from here.”

“But the moon is so beautiful.”

“Mm.”

They didn’t say a word for the rest of the night, except exchanging gentle ‘good-bye’s when Yuuri dropped Viktor off to the Flower Shop.


	6. Longing

It had became some sort of habit.

October was a busy month for farmers, and of course, a certain florist who had to save his flowers into the hothouse to keep warm from the season’s changing. Yuri had left with Phichit and Leo to town, continuing his lessons. Viktor had put on double efforts to finish his tasks before evening, because at that time he would sit by his porch, waiting.

And it would never be past seven, when Yuuri’s carriage appear from the fork just before climbing the low rise of the road and stopping in front of his shop. Yuuri would always ask if he’d like a ride, and Viktor would always agree.

They would ride around in a peaceful pace. Sometimes circling the pond, sometimes just around the lavender plate. Most of the time they didn’t say anything, not even bothering with the chit-chat of ‘how are you’ and ‘I’m fine thank you’. But Viktor enjoyed it.

He felt fulfilled. At peace.

Sometimes if they stop it would be random just so Yuuri could sit somewhere and rest his hands, but Viktor suspected that he was just letting him to pet Yura and Vitya.

Viktor dreaded November. He would have to leave the village for three months to teach. He would have to stop this comfortable habit of going for a ride in the evening. Though he didn’t know if he should break it to Yuuri. They never said anything, what if Yuuri didn’t look at this as a habit? It would be embarrassing.

One day in the middle of October, though, Yuuri didn’t arrive with his carriage.

Viktor waited past seven, but the carriage didn’t come. Well, he wasn’t going to weigh it too much on his mind. Yuuri ought to be busy in preparation for winter. Perhaps the farmer was moving back to the inn during winter, there would be a lot to do. Sometimes when they rode past his fields, he could see several tall stacks of straws. Sometimes beneath the carriage’s dashboard Viktor would find dried-up, braided straws. One particular cold night, they stopped by the lavender plate and Yuuri revealed its use by burning it with a match. The braided straws could serve well as a replacement of woods or coal, but it burnt faster. He learned that it was an old trick from America in the 19th century.

Anyways, Viktor understood. Winter. Lots of things to prepare. He wouldn’t want to think of the farmer living in cold farmhouse alone. The wind was strong from there.

Though he had cleaned up well, it would be a waste if he didn’t walk somewhere. Viktor decided to dine at the inn. It was quite the walk, but Hiroko’s cooking would be worth it. On the way, he met Yuuko, who was bulging with pregnancy.

“You haven’t visited for a while!” Yuuko chirped, a hand resting atop of her belly as she walked by Viktor’s.

“Are you sure you’re fine walking around?”

“It’s a good exercise to do so. Anyhow, are you going to town with Chris?”

Viktor promptly remembered that Chris had asked him to accompany him to town, because at one visit, the Swiss was showing off a ring. He was engaged, and was to meet his beloved’s family overseas. They would have to get on a train from the town, to reach the airport in the other town.

“No, but he made me promise to come for his ceremony.”

“Oh but why?”

“He forgot but I’m going to teach in November,” Viktor shrugged. “You forgot too, don’t you?”

“Totally!” Yuuko whined, clinging to Viktor’s arms in a friendly manner. “Oh no...I was so used seeing you two going around the village, I totally forgot you’re teaching during winter. Mila is coming home to take care of your shop, then?”

“You two...you mean Yuuri and I?”

“Well of course. Who else? Oh yeah, we were talking about Chris...but yeah, Viktor, what did Yuuri say?”

Viktor didn’t know what to say. First of all, he believed that he had mentioned that he’s a teacher to Yuuri at some point in the past few months, and he didn’t know why he should tell the farmer of his plans. They weren’t anything, not that Viktor himself was over eager. He was unsure...but he got so comfortable with all of this set-up, at times he forgot it wasn’t going to last.

The inn was already in front of them when Isabella waved energetically towards them.

“Viknik~ Yuuko~ you haven’t visited my cafe for a while!” she complained jokingly, placing herself between them, grabbing each of their arms into a hug. “Listen up, JJ had to cancel our date because Yuuri wanted his help to make something! Boys, right? Oh, you too, Viknik, but you’re different, eh? Sometimes you and Chris feel like you get _us_ , know what I’m saying?”

“Yuuri and JJ? Oh, they’re probably making a sledge, right? It’s high time,” Yuuko giggled. They had to climb quite the staircase to get to the inn. With Yuuko, the other two had to slow down. “I remember Takeshi teaching JJ how to make a snow sledge. They were such good friends. Yuuri usually hated things like woodwork or farming...but he’s done surprisingly well to this day.”

“Riiight? I still have like a whole giant sack of potatoes. I even made potatoes-based food for weeks but I think it’ll last through winter. He sells good oats too, and remember the obon last month, the corns! They were _delish_...!”

“You keep running your mouth there Belle, it’ll do to knock the door,” Mari said instead of greeting them, opening the door. “Finally dropping by, Vik?”

“Hello, Mari,” Viktor greeted with a smile. Yuuko picked a seat by the bar, and Isabella was still talking. She knew everything that happened in the village and she just liked to talk. Though she also loved to praise, and that goes incredibly well with JJ who loves praises.

Mari took the orders. It was a slow night; usually the carpenters had come down from mountains or their workshop to enjoy beer or _sake_ and dine some more. It was a Tuesday, so Isabella’s supermarket and bakery was closed. They could see Michele at the bar with some guy. Isabella said he’s Emil Nekola, Michele’s friend from college. Sara had continued to study art design overseas until February after the summer ended, but she'd come home sometimes.

There was a lot to catch up, because business and distance kept them cooped up, and such a short time for such long tales about people and plans. Isabella had only stopped talking to lead the prayer when Mari set down their orders.

“I was gonna drop by to your place later, but now that you’re here...” Mari set down a transparent, small bottle filled with colorful stars. The bottle was sealed and tied with a green satin ribbon. “This is from Yuuri. He was gonna drop it for you but he had to work on something.”

“Oh, what is this?” Viktor gleamed, shaking the bottle, the colorful stars making small crunchy noises inside.

“ _Konpeito_. Candies.”

In the Katsuki family, they had a tradition to spend sugar to make the star candies before winter. Yuuri told Mari that he’d like it if they could teach Viktor how to make konpeito, but everyone had been so busy chasing time before winter arrives. Viktor felt warm on the inside knowing that Yuuri wished to include him into a family tradition.

That night, when he was home alone, he curiously took one of the colorful stars from the bottle and put a pink one in his mouth. It was just sugar. Though Viktor decided that he wanted those cute star candies to last as long as possible and kept it in the drawer of his bedside’s table.


	7. Unspoken Farewell

It was nearing the end of October when Viktor finally see his garden mostly plucked off of flowers, the planting ground empty. All of the seeds had been stored in the greenhouse, and Mila had arrived to take over. She’ll sleep in the inn. Viktor didn’t really mind if Mila would use his room during her stay of three months, but Mila said she wanted to wake up and have breakfast at the inn everyday, and that was actually a great idea.

Now, for something to do to spend the rest of his week.

Otabek Altin, Viktor’s former student, had returned to the village. Of course, his house was in the other village, but he needed some cash before moving back to his family in the other village. Chris hadn’t returned from overseas, and so the Giacometti Winery decided to ask Viktor to help with the harvest.

Viktor offered the job to Otabek, and the young man gratefully agreed. Otabek was nearly 19, he had gone to high school in Finland. He was born in Kazakhstan, but it had been rough for a while. His parents decided to move to the village and run a big farm. However, there was no high school nor university, so Otabek had to find scholarship to find education overseas. His family’s farm went well, and Otabek knew how to find money on his own to continue school if he wanted to. Though, every winter he’d return to the other village.

“There would be five children in the other village. One of them were going to be seventeen, they’d need a certificate and take an exam to go to high school.”

They had a small chat whilst harvesting the grapes. The Altins predicted that this year they would have heavy snow, and that wasn’t exactly appealing in the other village because it’s mostly barren without the fields and barns. Viktor remembered one time he nearly got lost in the snowstorm because he couldn’t see anywhere, but by some sort of miracle he had ran into a huge pile of straws and spent the night inside it.

Viktor was paid for one day worth of work with lunch and dinner included. The Giacomettis also gifted him several nice bottles of wine to take home. One lovely habit from this village was how easy for the people here to share what they’ve gained from work. Viktor remembered one time when he was in the early of his 20s he enjoyed alcohol moderately in formal parties; it helps to melt the tension. Though here there wasn’t really a need for intoxication to talk; they just do. And lately, Viktor realized that sometimes you don’t have to talk to enjoy your time with someone.

He parted ways with Otabek, who was heading to the inn before departing to the other village the following day. When crossing the road to get to his Flower Shop, Viktor saw the lovely carriage he didn’t know he had been missing, along with his favorite horses and the owner.

“Hello,” Viktor greeted when Yuuri stopped his carriage. In the back seemed to be a lot of braided straws hidden beneath a thick cloth to keep them dry. He petted Yura with one hand; his other hand was holding a basked filled with cheese and bottles of wine.

“Helping the Giacomettis?” Yuuri asked with a polite smile. “Are you too tired for a ride? There’s going to be a super moon tonight. It’s beautiful if you see it from the pond...” he faltered. “I hope I didn’t sound too pushy.”

“That’s alright.” Viktor laughed, and without answering the question, he hopped into the carriage as he had always did, realizing that he had missed doing this. “Did you finish the snow sledge?”

“Oh, Mari told you? Yes, we finished it just today. JJ will bring it to my farm tonight, with Roy. JJ and Roy are a perfect match, and Isabella loves both of them,” unlike the usual silence, Yuuri had commanded his horses to walk, and he was speaking. “Though she sometimes asked me to teach JJ to ride a carriage because she wants to ride around the village too.”

“You agree?”

“I would if JJ have free time. Maybe sometime in the future. He’s always a busybody, isn’t he?”

Viktor laughed in agreement. He didn’t mind the talking as well, because for some reason he wanted to hear more of Yuuri’s gentle voice. Though Viktor couldn’t bring himself to talk about going to teach in the other village.

At the Willow Pond were Takeshi and Yuuko, spreading a mat for the pregnant woman to sit because she couldn’t sit on the roots. JJ and Isabella had found a corner for their own, lost in their own world. Viktor was unsure if this was a right time, and Yuuri seemed to realize the other couples were having their own moon-viewing moment as well. Though Viktor knew, he and Yuuri weren’t a couple. They sat in a polite distance, just dipping their feet into the shallow pond, enjoying the magnanimous moon light showered upon the nature.

The night ended, and Viktor returned to his home without mentioning anything about his departure.


	8. The Dreadful Winter Lodge

First of November was a Sunday, and Viktor departed, riding a carriage with Takeshi. The weather had turned even colder lately, and Takeshi murmured something about how the other village was probably already snowing.

Takeshi was wrong.

The other village was already drowning in snow. They had to pass Yuuri’s farm, heading northeast and forth, going beyond the mountains to get to the other village, and by the time the old carriage managed to get out of the forest path, it was freezing cold, as if entering a new, white-blanketed winter-Wonderland. They couldn’t see any fields if not for the fences planted, or the tall piles of straws that were already buried beneath snow.

The entire trip spent five hours. Takeshi had to constantly unfreeze his horse’s nose, so they had to stop here and there. Viktor felt an uneasy thrill in his heart, wondering how would it be staying here for three months.

And to his horror, the Altin’s lodge wasn’t empty. A couple of husband and wife with their baby had been living there for a while now, they worked for the Altin’s farm, and Otabek had failed to mention this. Though Viktor was still going to stay there, in the spare room. The husband was Giorgi, he was quite nice, but his wife...not so much. She was beautiful, but she wouldn’t smile or greet Viktor. He was off for a rough winter.

“If you need to return, just tell Otabek. His horses are strong in winters, but they don’t have a carriage. He’ll go to our village and we’ll come and get you with a carriage. It's dangerous for two people on a horseback in this season, because the wind is strong. ”

Thinking of the complicated task that would be, Viktor willed in himself not to ever tell Otabek despite he’s probably going to die inside. This was a challenge, this was nothing new. Just five children, and they need education. They’re going to need his help to get out of this barren place. Viktor decided to make this as his calling.

~.X.~

His first Monday had started. Viktor was freezing all over. He had a small bed, but a very thin blanket, so he had used every coat and jacket he had brought in his suitcase to warm himself through the night. He forced himself into the cold morning air, dress himself up, crush some ice and drop them in the basket for him to wash his face after he put on his socks. His face got really red from the stingy ice water but he was wide awake.

Giorgi Popovich’s wife, Anya, was quietly cooking breakfast. Last year Viktor could freely use the lodge as he wished, but now he had to be considerate and decided that maybe friendliness could start if he willed it to.

“Good morning, Mrs. Popovich,” Viktor greeted with a polite smile, helping by taking over the fried bacon. The woman only grumbled a reply. Not knowing what else to say, he just quietly set the table and breakfast, Anya finishing the rest of the sunny side up before setting them on the table as well.

Her baby boy was slapping the table on his high chair, giggling. His mother, with a sour expression, began to feed him with cold porridge, and he cried, swatting the spoon away, making a mess.

Anya angrily yelled at her own baby, and Viktor realized it wasn’t a good morning for breakfast chat. He finished his tea and breakfast as fast as he could, wishing to get out of the lodge and start his first lesson already.

Viktor had to walk at least two kilometers to reach the school, alongside the fields’ fences. Luckily, the workers had finished salting and cleaning the road off of ice.

The school was exactly the same as Viktor had remembered from last year. He recognized one of his students were actually from last winter term, and was Yuri’s friend; Kenjirou Minami. The boy had started a year late for school due to his family’s circumstances, just like Viktor. They moved around a lot, but finally settled to work on a big poultry alongside of the Altin’s fields.

The eldest of his students was actually a Korean boy, named Seung Gil Lee, turning seventeen next June. The youngest would be a 9 year-old boy, Jackie Grant. He goes to school with his 12 years old brother, Hayden Grant (Viktor mentally noted to call them Jekyll and Hyde). The only girl would be Ketty Abelashvili, the same age with his cousin Yuri, and apparently Phichit Chulanont’s distant cousin, also from Thailand.

On the first day, Viktor began with measuring how much the children had learnt during their summer term.

Jackie needed to work with his handwriting and spelling. Hayden had discovered half of his history and geography lesson so he just needed to continue learning the rest of the chapters. Seung Gil would make a great mathematician, he could subtract and add in his mind. Ketty and Minami had been sharing books together so their level was comparable. Before the first day ended, he asked Jackie to spell at least five words and write on the board. He had Ketty and Minami to recite the first quarter part of Crusade War. Hayden had a geography quiz to point some names of Middle East countries on the map, and Seung Gil worked on a mediocre chain of mental calculations.

It was a good start, Viktor letting his students to show how far they’ve come, so tonight he could start planning each of his students’ lessons. Though his steps were heavy when he thought of returning to the winter lodge.


	9. A Surprise

Viktor reminisced last year when he had to teach the Crispino twins and Yuri himself. He had seven students. Yuri decided to go to school in town, later on, though, he hated this other village. But it was fun for Viktor because he felt not so lonely compared to this year’s winter term. That, or it’s also because of the Popovich household made him feel even lonelier than supposed to.

At their first dinner, Georgi had a monologue. He was warm at heart, and was very friendly, but everything was awkward because his wife would snap whenever she was included in the conversation. She preferred grudgingly taking care of her baby. The baby boy was named Daniel. They were a bunch of Russians, but when Viktor tried to speak in Russian, Anya suddenly left the dining room with Daniel. Georgi told him that Anya missed Russia and talking in Russian made her sad. It sounded ridiculous for Viktor, but he decided to never speak in Russian ever again in that lodge.

The first five days of November went without a hitch, the first chapters of lessons Viktor had planned were done well. Seung Gil had taken tenth-grade calculus, and Kenjirou, despite how often he played around, had advanced his reading a lot and was finding fun in math. Which was good for Ketty since she wouldn’t have to share books with Kenjirou too often.

But Viktor dreaded going back to the lodge that Friday.

It was unimaginable for him to spend the weekends cooped up in that lodge with the Popovich—with Anya. He wondered if he could just go to the Altins and stay there, but the farmhouse only had two rooms, and Otabek was home. And if he did this they’d probably just have Otabek to get someone from the other village to take Viktor home.

Oh,  but he had to admit...he’d give anything if he could go back right now. He missed walking to the inn and bask in the warmth of Hiroko’s aromatic cooking. He missed Isabella’s bakery that would emit sweet wafts of baked bread. He missed walking alongside the Giacometti’s grape orchard.

He even missed sitting alone in his flower shop. He missed Yuuko and Takeshi’s complains of his wife’s weird cravings.

And...he missed Vitya and Yura.

And Vicchan.

Well, maybe Yuuri too.

He stood in front of the lodge’s door when he thought he was going crazy, because he heard chimes of bell and the rushes of a horse. There was no creaking of a wheel, because the big American horse was carrying a sledge. It was Roy and Yuuri.

“Yuuri!” he exclaimed his mind. Yuuri was bundled like a pile of warmth, his face was flushed red from cold, his glasses had frosts. Roy neighed with style, still loving to jump on his two feet just because he can, the horse’s breath a mist in the air. Viktor couldn’t hold back but rushed to approach them.

“Wh...What are you doing here?”

“Nothing,” Yuuri huffed, puffing out a big mist of breath. “You?”

“Well, nothing for now.”

“Then, wanna go home?”

Viktor brightened up in an instance, and nearly begged for Yuuri to wait for him to grab his coats and jackets. He said a rushed goodbye to Georgi who was cutting wood logs, hopping onto the sledge and they dashed off before Georgi could even say anything.

~.X.~

Yuuri only told him to hold onto the edge of the sledge tightly. They couldn’t talk during the ride because it was so cold,  and they gritted their teeth. It didn’t help because Roy would sometimes jump because apparently JJ had re-trained him to do that every time the horse saw a small bump (the horse couldn’t be happier).

But when they managed to get beyond the mountains passage, Viktor could quickly felt the temperature was warmer; which was ridiculous, because it was snowing thickly that noon. He nearly willed the sledge to go faster when he could see the village; the inn, the bakery, the ranch and everything from atop the snowy hill. It looked lit up with Christmas lights already.

When Yuuri finally stopped the sledge in front of his Flower Shop, Viktor heaved in relief of being home, and thanked the younger man with a wide smile. Yuuri grinned to him and dashed away with Roy.

“Viktor! You’re back...?” Mila seemed to be surprised to see him shaking off snow from his shoulders. She peeked from the front door to see the sledge dashing away and giggled. “Wow he went and get you didn’t he.”

Viktor paused upon hearing this. “What do you mean? Did you ask him to?”

“No way. I have no idea that he would, but he sounded surprised to hear that you’re away during the winter to teach.”

“You won’t even imagine how surprised I am when he arrived in front of the lodge.”

Viktor sighed in relief and returned to his room with a gratefulness, never again taking his warm bedroom for granted. This was home. He couldn’t remember how he’d survived last winter in that lodge.

Mila snapped at him, telling him to wake up if he wanted dinner, and Viktor couldn’t be happier as they walked to the inn. What a great feeling to know that he would be enjoying Hiroko’s food until tomorrow Sunday.


	10. Strange Sense of Loneliness

Waking up in Sunday, Viktor felt wonderful.

His frozen garden never seemed more beautiful whenever he thought of the barren other village or when he’d wake up to frozen windows of whiteness and emptiness. Mila wasn’t an emotional woman who’d nitpick at whatever he was doing, and Hiroko had forced them to take plenty of food from last night’s dinner. The woman remarked that she was so worried because Viktor looked much thinner just in a week since the last she’s seen him.

Viktor had agreed with Takeshi that he would return to the other village later, but he tried not to think about it too much. He didn’t see Yuuri the entire day, but he was too absorbed in visiting Father Lambiel, who was planning a pilgrim to Vatican in late December. They planned on having a Dinner Gala at the Church this Christmas (last year it was at the Inn). Dinner Gala was a winter gathering near to celebrate Christmas, and also to give thanks to the nature’s blessing for a much gentler winter. The tradition was established by The Feltmans (Viktor’s uncle and aunt) whom had gone through a very harsh winter in the first years of the village.

“Well you _have_ to come, because it was your uncle’s tradition, so it’s kind of your responsibility, you know?” Phichit, who had returned to his village house for winter break, was joining him and Father Lambiel at the church. He was setting an ukulele. “Plus, Yuri’s been practicing a new music piece. He’s been practicing with Yuuri and it was so confusing I decided to address your cousin as Yurio like Mari-nee-san taught me hahaha!”

“Yuuri’s been practicing with my cousin?”

“Yes, we’re going to have a small music festival at the Dinner Gala,” Father Lambiel nodded with a gentle smile. “And Chris would finally reveal his mysterious fiance. As usual, each year has its spectacle in this village.”

Viktor shrugged with a smile. “Well, I’ll see if I can come home for the Dinner Gala. The snow is crazy over there.”

He had to wonder if he should ask Yuuri if the man could take him home for the Dinner Gala, but grudgingly deciding to not to. It’s not like Yuuri had agreed to always take him home very weekends. Viktor didn’t dare to hope. He was already grateful that he could go home this week. He would have to bring as much as clothing he could to brace the harsh winter in the other village.

And so, that evening, as Takeshi had rode his carriage away, leaving Viktor in front of the Altin’s Lodge, Viktor took a deep breath and hoped for the better.

 

* * *

 

However, Yuuri arrived the next Friday. As usual, he only told Viktor to hold on tight before sliding off with the sledge. This second week wasn’t particularly bad. Viktor was used to Anya’s gloom doom. His students were learning well, though Jackie cried one time because Seung Gil snapped at him for dropping his pencil.

Who was he kidding...?

Viktor was stressed. He couldn’t relax at all.

Not the lodge, to the school. Sometimes Seung Gil wouldn’t listen to him whenever working on calculus, he wouldn’t work on it step by steps. Viktor couldn’t handle crying, and if Jackie cried again the next time, he wanted to run off and had probably Ketty or Hayden to call him back after Jackie stopped crying.

Not to mention the lodge. He hated how Anya would angrily dropped pans or plates on the tables or stoves as if making angry noises on purpose. He hated how she would just leave a crying Daniel after yelling at the baby for being bad.

Viktor thought of retiring.

Which was silly, since teachers don’t retire around thirty, but...well, he didn’t know yet. If he stopped teaching, what then? A full year in Flower Shop would be bland. Wow, he complains a lot, nothing was going to be right with him. He had to get it together and face everything head on.

For some reason it felt harder this year.

The second weekends after Yuuri took him back to the Flower Shop, it wasn’t as exciting as the first time. Viktor was feeling numb now that he’s trying to make sense of his life. He was going to be 30 next year, 29 this December.

What was wrong with him. Everything was alright.

But he felt that he still couldn’t find what he wanted.

He didn’t want fame. He didn’t want a trip around the world. He didn’t need a lot of gold. He didn’t exactly need luxury. Then what is it? He’s settled down. He had a home, he loved this village, he had friends that were as close as family for him.

“Viktor, are you frozen?” Yuuri’s gentle voice woke him from his thoughts. Viktor felt his eyelashes were heavy from snow powders, but other than that, he was alright. Out of worry, Yuuri had reached to caress his cheek, making sure his face wasn’t frozen.

“I was just thinking,” Viktor smiled, and just noticing that they were in front of the Flower Shop.

“By the way, Vicchan has given birth to two litters,” Yuuri said with a warm smile. “Would you like one? It’s a boy, though. Minako-sensei had asked me prior this that she’d like a female poodle if Vicchan had given birth to one.”

Viktor’s eyes widened. “I’ve never taken care of a dog before, and...and I can’t now, since I’m going to be away a lot...” his heart clenched, because he _really_ would love to have a poodle of his own.

“Don’t worry, they’re too little to be away from Vicchan, but if you want to see them, you can always visit my farmhouse.”

“You’re not moving to the inn?”

“No. My farmhouse is warm enough against the winter. I’ve been preparing a lot in autumn. Plus, Yura and Vitya hated the stables in Yuuko’s ranch. And I’ve found a female horse for them to mate, and she’s pregnant right now.”

The silver-haired gazed at the younger farmer, impressed in his mind. Yuuri had a lot of talent, and he’s a hard worker; whatever he’d put his mind into, he’d do well with it. He could be out there in the orchestra, on a stage, or be a ballerina. He’d be an excellent chef if he’d just learn the culinary world deeper.

But no, Yuuri returned to be a farmer. It wasn’t a bad choice, of course. But now that Viktor really think about it, he sort-of gets why Yuuri wanted to be a farmer.

It wasn’t something that you could thrive with simple hard work, nor there was a particular talent to it. Hard work, dexterity, and a great amount of luck.

Which was the same for Viktor. Though, unlike Yuuri, he had a hard time to adjust with this newfound and strange sense of loneliness.

Viktor said goodbye to Yuuri before promising a visit, soon. The sledge dashed off. He hadn’t realized that it wasn’t Roy who had pulled the sledge, but Vitya. Vitya was fine riding without Yuratchka.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ketty is a canon character, who composed Yuuri Katsuki's Free Skate Music. Jackie and Hayden are OCs.


	11. Insecurity

So every Friday, after school's end, Viktor would stand in front of the lodge, readily waiting for a sledge to come and get him. Things hadn’t improved the coming weeks with the Popovich, but Viktor tried not to think much about it. His students had been doing well, and soon, Viktor would plan an exam for Seung Gil to get certificate to continue to high school.

They still didn’t talk about this sledge.

Viktor counted the remaining days of his lessons, and some days he began to think that he had been using Yuuri to go home. Even with the fact that they were friends, Viktor couldn’t help but think that he hadn’t done anything worth Yuuri’s kindness.

He didn’t have anything to give, nor he’d want to. He didn’t know what Yuuri was expecting by going all the way through the mountains and the snow just to get him back to the village.

And it was just two weeks before the Dinner Gala when Viktor began to wonder why. Yuuri only dropped him off at the Flower Shop. Takeshi would bring him back to the other village Sunday after noon. Yuuri didn’t ask him anything, but Viktor couldn’t help but wonder what was this man expecting of him, because whatever that was he didn’t want to give it. He just want to use this kindness and he’s starting to feel terrible because of it.

He needed to know why.

So a week before the Dinner Gala, on Friday, after Yuuri stopped his sledge in front of his Flower Shop, Viktor decided to get it straight out.

“You have to know,” he began, unlike the usual where he’d just go back to his Flower Shop and waved at Yuuri, he just sat there and began to speak. “I just want to ride your sledge because I want to go home every week. So if you want something from me out of that, I have to tell you, I don’t have anything to give you, nor you can expect me to do anything for you.”

Yuuri just stared at him, listening. His brown eyes were wide. So he continued.

“And after my lessons end in January, I wouldn’t want to ride with you anymore. So if you’re expecting something from me from doing me all this, you can stop taking me home from the other village next week.”

He stopped, because that's all, and also because Yuuri seemed like he was tearing up a little. Viktor didn't realize if he was being loud and too harsh, but maybe that wasn't the case.

Lowering his gaze, Viktor grabbed the bunch of his coats, giving one last glance to Vitya, and stood up. Yuuri didn’t look at him anymore, and when Viktor got onto his porch, he didn’t wave a goodbye as Yuuri dashed away from his Flower Shop.

As sad as it was, and as he was dreading December without going back to the Flower Shop, he had made his mind. Viktor mentally apologized to Phichit as he wouldn’t be coming to Dinner Gala next week.


	12. And Yet, Still He Comes

As the ride back with Takeshi to the other village began, Viktor began to think that he was probably the biggest idiot ever.

Why did he say those kind of things to Yuuri yesterday?!

Didn’t he swore that he would give anything to be able to go home?

So what if Yuuri had expecting something from him— _Jesus Christ,_ he was stupid.

It didn’t help that at some point Anya was screaming out loud and asked for a divorce and ran off into the snow. There was a huge drama, and Georgi was crying, and Viktor had to help the crying man to find his wife in the middle of a freezing midnight. His students laughed at him for sleeping off through the recess that after noon. Seung Gil had lost his respect for Viktor and wouldn’t listen to anything he said. Kenjirou was slacking off, no longer paying attention and Jackie’s lessons weren’t doing well.

And Viktor had to go through this for the rest of the winter. It was by far the worst, even worse than his years in American Public School. Haha, the last one was just a joke. It was easier to control five kids. Still, he had a lot in his mind, and Viktor had no friend in this barren place to tell his worries to.

But he had to stand strong. Viktor tried to cheer himself up by crossing yet another Thursday on his agenda. Tomorrow Friday Yuuri wouldn’t come, so he’ll have to think of something to do for weekends. Maybe building a giant igloo for him to move in when Anya got crazy again.

Friday came, and Viktor gave up. Well, not really. He just decided to stop giving Seung Gil any attention. The boy needed to learn who’s in charge, and that if he’s going to act all mighty to get a certificate, then he’ll have to go back from etiquette.

At the very least, Jackie had learned to stop crying because his tears would froze on his cheeks. The day grew colder, and Viktor decided that they all could huddle into a group and learn close to the heater. Though it was futile. Ketty’s curly hair got very tense it would make a knocking sound every time she leaned to her chair.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Otabek appeared.

“The school is closed now, it’s too cold. There’s going to be a storm soon, so you all have to go home before you’re trapped.” He announced.

“Okay then, clean up quick and let’s end the lessons here today, everyone,” Viktor added, and everyone rushed to clean up their belongings before leaving the school building. Otabek asked if he’s going back to his village, but Viktor shook his head with a sad smile before struggling to walk through the thickening snow.

He would be trapped here in the lodge until Monday. What wonderful plan it would be. Viktor could not even take a long breath because it would hurt his lungs with the freezing air.

And yet...

The chimes of bells arrived without fail, and there was Yuuri with Vitya and Yura, no less.

“Make it quick, are you going home or not?” Yuuri asked, face completely flushed with cold.

Viktor scrambled to get himself coated and bundled, and he wondered if he was walking like a shaken Matryoshka because he had so many layers on him. As he sat down on the sledge, Yuuri made sure he held onto something and once more they dashed away.

“We’re going to race with the blizzard,” Yuuri said loudly.

“Why are you still coming for me?” Viktor couldn’t help but ask. Then, for once, Yuuri glanced at him after last Friday.

“Because you looked like you wanted to cry after I dropped you off last Friday.”

"I wasn't crying, you were."

"No, it was you."

"Whatever."

They said nothing more. Viktor’s heart was thumping loud, but it couldn’t be louder than the two horses’ rushing shoes. They could hear strong wind from far behind them.

However, at some point, probably three kilometers away from the barren village, the two horses slowed down. Viktor got very anxious. Yuuri stopped and got off the sledge and did something for the two horses.

“Their noses were freezing,” Yuuri said, “We’ll have to stop at some points. Maybe every three kilometers. And you,” he shook Viktor by the shoulder. “You have to stay awake, you hear me? Viktor?”

And that was when Viktor realized how hard it was to voice out anything, but he did his best to let out a “Yes.”

They dashed again, through the thickening snow. The mountains passage was even more terrible. They had to stop ever three kilometers for Yuuri to unfreeze his horses, and every time, Yuuri would ask Viktor if he’s okay, and he wouldn’t move until Viktor responds.

At one point, Viktor no longer responded, and Yuuri sounded frightened.

“Viktor, please. Viktor. _Viktor, you can’t sleep_.”

But it was so comfortable. And warm.

If he could just...

“Viktor, you have to stay with me.” Yuuri’s fading voice reached into his consciousness weakly. “Viktor you can’t leave me alone here.”

“Okay...” Viktor forced himself to wake up, feeling his throat burnt from that simple word alone. But he was so tired. So, so, tired.

But he glanced at Yuuri, who had started to whip his horses. He was near on tears, his brown eyes shining. How could Viktor rest and give up when this young man struggled to get him home? At the very least, if Yuuri didn’t expect him anything but being awake, Viktor should give that.

As they got to the other side of the mountain, Viktor was completely awake, because the air was starting to warm up with the homey-ness of it. They sled down the heels at a reckless speed. Until at the very last, the sledge stopped.

They could hear Mila’s cry and Yuri’s shouting as Yuuri forced Viktor onto his feet before dashing away, racing to get his horses into the stables before the storm finally brushed the village entirely.

“You’re freezing! Yuri, get the hot water!”

“Yeah, yeah, got it,”

Viktor couldn’t say anything because his teeth were gritted tight, he just let the two took care of him. He began to feel his feet again; the hot water soon turned lukewarm after three minutes of him dipping in his feet. Viktor had only revived from being frozen when Yuri had shoved him a spoonful of hot onion soup. It was dizzying and his head felt like nearly cracking from the extreme temperature changing, but the soup wasn’t even hot enough.

“That guy is nuts,” Yuri angrily grumbled. “He should’ve let you stay there in the lodge, he’s out to get you killed.”

“No, he’s saved my life. I was going to build an igloo if I couldn’t go home,” Viktor sighed when he could finally had a spoonful of onion soup on his own.

It was unsalted because Mila was a forgetful cook, but to hell with the taste; he was _damn alive_.


	13. A Moonlit Birthday

The Dinner Gala would be on Saturday night. Everyone was fussing and walking around the village. The tourists whom had come to spend their winter vacation here were also excited, filling the restaurant with chatters. Viktor had helped in decorating as usual. The Altins had left the other village to join in the Gala.

The blizzard passed overnight, so it was so busy for them to get the snow off of the road. Yuri had went around to help Otabek salt the entire road to Church, whilst Viktor busily shoveled his front part of the road. Mila was checking in the hothouse when someone else arrived to help him.

Not just one, but three. Yuuri, Takeshi, and JJ had arrived. They had been in charge to clear up the path every winter, after all. Viktor couldn’t keep up with them because his stamina was terrible. Well, for Yuuri it would be the first time after five years. Takeshi had said that Yuuri had a monster of stamina, with all those horse-training sessions.

And true that, the young man wasn’t even spending a breath when he had to go up and down the Giacometti’s orchard to topple a pile of snow off of the orchard before hardening it to the side of the road. JJ himself had been losing breath after an hour. They’d still have to smooth the hardened pile around the village. It’ll create a thick ice fence around the road. Isabella, Sara, and Mila would then put in candles on the snow. Michele was quite an ice sculptor, he would encase the candles with ice crystal-balls (he said it was the easiest to make) to protect the candle lit from wind.

They had all day to prepare. Though Isabella and Hiroko were busier since they had to do the feast as well.

The dress code would be ‘Being as Warm as Possible’ so Viktor and his cousin showed up at the Church and all of them looked like a real-life version of South Park characters. Yuuri was seen busy with Mari going around the place to light the torches hanging on the Church’s walls. The younger man, Viktor just noticed, had always been dressed thickly. Yuuri was sensitive to cold.

Father Lambiel opened the event with a short speech. Christophe and his fiance was yet to arrive, but Minako arrived around seven. Before the main dish were taken out, everyone were served a generous amount of _amazake_ to warm their bones. It was mild alcohol, so Yuri was allowed to drink, and it was sweet just right.

The first music performance was JJ and Isabella, starting with a serene piece of ‘Always with Me’ that she had practiced from Yuuko for weeks. JJ, unlike his usual love for rock, was just playing a guitar accompanist. Isabella's voice was clear, and at some point, Yuuko and Mila joined as the back chorus. It was so warm and welcoming.

All the while, Mari had quietly left appetizer of richly spiced tomato soup. Viktor went from his seat to take a bowl for him and Yuri. The performance was given a warm applause. Then Minako had cheered for Yuuri to play a piece for them, and he was half-dragged onto the piano, erupting a bit of laughter from the audience, but Viktor was so focused on waiting for Yuuri to sit down before the piano that he held his breath.

It was slow and unheard at first, but the melodies were beginning to be familiar. Viktor wouldn’t miss how Yuri had sharply taken a breath and murmured ‘The Name of Life’. A compatible piece to follow up the first performance.

At first everyone wasn’t really listening, but as the music grew stronger, the entire Church was silence, only the piano echoing in the building.

Viktor couldn’t help but think that Yuuri always had this enchanting way to capture everyone’s heart and surprise them in every turn.

Not only in music. Though, Viktor knew this first-hand.

When the main feast were out, which was a generous amount of meatloaves, roasted pigs with apples, and moist baked salmon, the merriness filled the Church. Anyone were free to sing and play, and despite the bustle and hustle, Hiroko seemed very much alive, though Mari had made sure to keep her father off of too much alcohol so then Toshiya settled with dinner.

Chris hadn’t arrived yet when Yuri had ran off to have a duet with Otabek, who was quite the bass player. Minako started to ramble as she got wasted, and Viktor didn’t mind not mingling with the crowd; he felt content. He was so grateful for being able to join this Gala.

Also, because he had found his answer. He figured what he wanted now. Yes. Being here, in this village. Yes, teaching the winter term. Yes, taking care of flowers.

“Viktor,” Yuuri wiped his mouth with a napkin, apparently having just finished his dinner, he had a warm smile on his face which was flushed with light alcohol. “I want to show you something, and it has to be tonight, because I wouldn’t have time next weekend after dropping you off. Do you mind coming with me?”

“Alright.” Viktor finished his dinner quickly, and with him, he took a flask of amazake.

Vitya and Yura were waiting, complete with the sledge. It was a bright night, no wind after the blizzard the night before. The coast was clear, one might say. Though, Yuuri said they couldn’t take the sledge now that the snow is cleared off of the road, and he was only putting them out for Takeshi. They would have to return by midnight.

“Have you rode a horse on your own before?”

“Mm, no.”

“Then we’ll just take Vitya. It’s too dangerous for horse-riding lesson in this winter night.”

Viktor gave a small chuckle as Yuuri helped him onto Vitya’s back. Yuuri mounted the dark brown horse with ease and grace. He told Viktor he was free to hold onto where ever he felt comfortable to, and when Viktor settled onto his shoulders, they rode off into the night.

 

* * *

 

 

It was a clear night of the winter. Vitya was strong and sure with his steps. They paced in a mediocre speed. They rode past Yuuri’s farm, and slowed down as they hiked onto the mountains lower tier.

The Willow Pond was frozen. Viktor sort-of expected this but he hadn’t seen it on his own. Yuuri told him that everyone would play here during the noon on their free time. JJ and Isabella would probably make a good pair of skaters. It was Phichit who had the idea of using the frozen pond to skate, just one random winter after noon he dragged Yuuri with a pair of skating shoes to the frozen pond. Since then, _the youngters_ of the village have their own skates.

“Is it okay if you wear Takeshi’s worn skates?” He asked, showing two pairs, one larger pair would be Takeshi’s hanging off the saddle. Viktor laughed, but agreed, telling Yuuri he’s skated before.

Takeshi’s worn skates were from when Takeshi was a teenager, so it wasn’t as big as Viktor had expected. Nearly a perfect fit. Yuuri took no time to get on the ice, warning him that it wasn’t as soft as the town’s ice rink because there were roots, so they had to stay from the edges when gliding.

They weren’t aiming to show or perform, just happily gliding around in a circle. Sometimes Yuuri would stumble but luckily turned it into a clumsy single loop, and Viktor laughed so hard his lungs hurt because Yuuri’s expression was priceless.

They enjoyed gliding on their own, but at some point, Viktor found that it’d be lonely if he just spent the hours before midnight enjoying this ice pond on their own. So he skated closer to Yuuri and they glided side by side around the pond.

“Vitya was my nickname when I was a child,” Viktor said out of the blue. “Uncle Yakov and Aunt Lilia called me that when I was a kid.”

“I know,” Yuuri said, looking up to the sky. There were nothing but stars. It was a newmoon. “Yakov-san and Lilia-san told us once about their nephews. Sweet Vitya and the strong-willed Yuratchka. That’s how I named my horses.”

Viktor snorted and Yuuri laughed when his gut got elbowed. Though Viktor got his elbow in pain and regret because Yuuri’s chest was fit and strong.

“You can’t even call me Vicchan because that’s your dog’s name.”

“That was my father’s idea. I was just a baby, but at some point when you were little, father told me there was this beautiful Vicchan spending their summer with their uncle and aunt, because their parents were away.”

Viktor felt his face warmed a little. “That might be me.”

Yuuri chuckled in amusement, gliding slightly away from Viktor. He stared down, a somber look on his face.

Viktor skated closer.

“A secret for a secret?”

“Hmm,” Yuuri had a forlorn smile. “I don’t think I have any. Everyone here knows everything about everyone.”

“Not me. Nor Yuri. I mean, Yurio.”

“Oh I have one. I’ve been keeping a kitten for him. He couldn’t ask you.”

“Well, I can’t, since I’m away. But I’ll also have a puppy from you, right?”

“True. But now they won’t be separated from each other after months in my farmhouse, so you’ll have to take both the kitten and the pup.” Yuuri laugh when hearing a sigh from Viktor. “The pup is a cafe-au-lait poodle, so I called him Makkacchin. Yurio called his kitten Parm.”

“Parm.”

“Yes. Parm.”

“What in the world happened with his sense of naming...”

“He was unsure if it’s a girl or a boy and wouldn’t take my judgement into account so just named it Parm.”

“And so?”

“It’s a girl, I swear. By the way, don’t worry, it’s called Evgenia, but we nicknamed her Janny.”

“Oh, yeah, Yurio’s a fan of that skater.”

They threw a faltering laugh, because they realized they had been talking embarrassing thing about Viktor’s cousin instead of sharing each others' supposed secrets. Viktor just had this odd urge to know something.

For one, what Yuuri thought of _him_ would be great to know.

The taller man then was reminded of Toshiya’s words back in Spring.

Maybe this was one of those things that _he’ll need to find out_.

So he tried and took Yuuri’s hand.

Viktor tried not to look, but waited. They skated a while, and Yuuri didn’t let go nor did he swat his hand away, so that’s that.

So that was _alright_.

When they got tired of skating and checking the time, it was half an hour near midnight; they decided to stop. Viktor pondered where he should hold onto now, when they were going to ride the horse again. Then he remembered that Yuuri said he could hold onto wherever it’s comfortable. And Yuuri had never gone back on his words so far.

However, Yuuri decided to surprise him again. He had been staring into his blue eyes a while, before deciding something.

“You should ride Vitya.”

“I can’t. I’ve never done that.”

“Don’t worry,” Yuuri assured. “I’ll guide you two. I’ll walk and hold half of the rein. Now get on.”

Viktor trusted Yuuri that much. So he mounted the dark-brown horse and Yuuri taught him the right way to hold the rein, and how to command Vitya. The rein in his hands felt alive, and Viktor could feel Vitya’s jaw moving. Yuuri led the way on foot.

When they reached the road, Yuuri told Viktor to try and run with Vitya until the Flower Shop and try to stop.

He just needed to say loudly and gently whipped the rein, and Vitya would dash. Viktor gritted his teeth, and when the Flower Shop was in sight, he had to gently pull so that Vitya would slow down to a stop right in front of his shop.

Viktor smiled brightly and turned to Yuuri, who was running to catch up with them.

“You did it. You’re a natural. That’s good, really good, Viktor,” Yuuri praised. Viktor beamed proudly.

“Now, scoot a bit—HEY, NO—VIKTOR, WAIT—OH COME ON!”

Yuuri groaned when Viktor laughed maniacally and dashed off with Vitya to the Church, leaving the bespectacled young man to eat his snow.

When he arrived at the Church on midnight, Viktor was 29 year and a day old.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Belle sang in the Gala opening is Spirited Away's "Always with Me", a cover version by Kate Covington: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT0fIfiw7Sg


	14. Fragrant Tom Yum Goong

Teaching days passed quickly now that Viktor had a grip of reality. December was soon going to be over. Now that Viktor had stopped paying attention to Seung Gil, he could focus on his younger students. Praises and discipline should be a balanced combination. Though sometimes attention should be worked on to gain.

Anya was still a grump, and Viktor was used to the couple’s fight. He was even getting tired of Georgi’s wailing. Anya would come back anyways, or she’ll freeze to death in their divorce.

Yuuri would come every Friday and now, he’ll drop him off every Sunday evening as well, because Takeshi had to stay home even more now that it’s known that his wife would give him triplets. Yuri worked part time at the inn, and it’s closer to Chulanont’s manor.

Often times when Viktor walked to the school, he’d seen Otabek on a black horse, riding off to the village, probably to meet with Yuri; they’ve become good friends since Dinner Gala. Otabek was probably also interested to join in the band one day. Yuri seemed a bit disappointed about this, since he’s more into the orchestra, but they’d exchange experience sometimes.

New year’s unfortunately was a day in the middle of the week, so Viktor couldn’t go home. And yet, Yuuri arrived, with Yuri and Phichit, and they celebrated it with the Altins. His cousin, Yuri seemed to be very fond of Phichit and Otabek, because they had always treated him as an equal despite his young age. Otabek’s parents asked Viktor’s plans for next year. The Minamis dropped by for a bit, but they had their big family over the house, so they only came by to drop some rice cake.

The Abelashvilis arrived near midnight, with additional Thai cuisines to further warm up the night. The barren village had their small get-together for the new year’s eve.

However, Yuuri couldn’t stay too long, he had left at nine before midnight, and Viktor didn’t talk much to him. Phichit spent the night with his cousin’s family, and Yuri with Viktor in the lodge, finally understanding what Viktor had gone through the last two months (“They’re dreadful and I should have agreed to sleep over with Beka.”).

 

* * *

 

 

In the middle of frozen January, it was a Friday, but Viktor was restless because Yuuri hadn’t shown up and it was already night time. Maybe he was too busy this time.

However, when he was already resigned to spending the weekend with the Popovich (At long last...), Viktor heard the annoying excited and loud voice of a familiar carpenter. It was JJ and Roy, but on Yuuri’s sledge.

“Where’s Yuuri?”

“It’s crowded this week, and Hiroko fell ill, so Yuuri had to fill in. Like, he was this close to crying when asking me to get you home. Poor sod!” JJ told him, and Viktor had got onto the sledge without saying anything else.

Hiroko fell ill.

JJ had a monologue along the entire ride, telling what’s been up back home, and Viktor listened, worried. Hiroko had caught common flu. She was always weak during winter, but this time, the woman couldn’t get up. Toshiya and Takeshi had to bring her to the doctor in town, whilst Mari took charge and Yuuri filled in for Mari.

Even Phichit had to take care of Yuuri’s horses and pets, but that much he could handle. Mila couldn’t leave the Flower Shop because Chris had been fussing over for his wedding decor. Viktor couldn’t imagine leaving for another five days when there’s a lot he had to help out in just two days.

Both Chris and Mila practically ran out to greet him from the porch when they arrived.

“Thank you, JJ,” Viktor said hastily before running up to the porch and told Chris to calm down and asking why is he holding a cat.

“Oh this is Anthony’s. Well it’s also mine now.”

Since last Dinner Gala Yuuri had kidnapped him, Viktor hadn’t the chance to be introduced to Christophe’s mystery man. Though there were much more important things to do.

Chris explained his wedding plan in detail; they’ve agreed to a small one at the Church but they want an indoor party since the wedding would be held in around October, when it’ll be rainy. Viktor agreed to a significant amount of red roses, they would be ready by the end of August. Finally Chris, faithfully leaving the decor design to Viktor, left the Flower Shop in peace. Mila sighed in exasperation.

“I should go now, I need to help out at the inn.” Mila said, taking off her gardening apron.

“Wait, I was going to do that,”

“Viktor, you suck at public service. You know, maybe you should check on Phichit at Yuuri’s farmhouse.”

And that’s how it’s decided. Viktor had a small lunch before going to walk to the farmhouse.

Turned out, there were already three people. Phichit, cooking fantastic Oriental Lunch, Sara who was having a good time having Janny on her lap as she knitted, and Yuuko, big and relaxing on an armchair by the window. Sara greeted him; it’s been a while, but she’s returned from college for winter break.

Viktor noticed that the armchair wasn’t here the last time he visited (which was two seasons ago).

“Yuuko, how did you get here?”

“JJ and his crazy horse. Don’t tell Takeshi though; he’ll flip. I’ll take the blame on my own, so everyone’s agreed to tell Takeshi that I walked here.” The pregnant woman said in a hoarse voice, due to a sore throat. “It was just so coincidentally we all thought the same to get here. Look, Vicchan is already sick.”

Viktor put his coat onto the table before checking up on the poor girl with her pups. Vicchan was curled up and looking gloomy. Yuuko said Vicchan easily fell sick whenever Yuuri suddenly left her for too long.

“Good thing I didn’t freak out about the pregnant horse, since I know it takes 11 months for them before delivery, haha!” Phichit had tossed Viktor’s coat off the table to set his Tom Yam Goong on the table. The smell aroused the entire room into hunger. Viktor wasn’t even mad when he had to collect his coat off the floor and hang it on the nail in the wall.

Thai food was heaven. When Hiroko is well again, Sara said Phichit and Hiroko should have a cook off. Phichit laughed it off, since he thinks they were both great, but have different genre. Plus, he was more into shipping business.

“Speaking of shipping, what’s with you and Yuuri?” he asked Viktor shamelessly—or, he appeared to be.

“Phichit, that’s none of your business,” Sara quickly scolded, but then Phichit looked confused.

“What? It _is_ my business! I mean last year Viktor had a great record of shipments for flowers. Maybe last year was a good year for marriage? But this year Yuuri was shipping mad crops, man. Potatoes, corns, oats, wheats...that field was rich! I mean, look at _this house_ , he’s got this nice carpet now, and the first time I got here he didn’t even have a bathroom door.”

Yuuko laughed at the misunderstanding, whilst Viktor felt his heart nearly fell off. Phichit pouted in confusion as he turned to Sara.

“What kind of other shipping is there anyway?”

“N-Nothing.” Sara quickly brushed it off by talking about Chris’s wedding this October.


	15. Late Birthday Gift

The winter term was over. Seung Gil had made a good recovery and passed the standardized exams, ready to join in official high school in town soon. Viktor’s students had grown attached to him over winter, and Jackie was crying again but quietly, as he gifted his teacher with warm snow gloves that his mother had knitted for this sole occasion. The winter term has ended, and so the winter break began.

This time, Yuuri had waited for him by the lodge. Viktor said his goodbyes to Giorgi and Daniel, but not to Anya, who was cooping up in her room, and Viktor didn’t mind. Sometimes friendliness would only work if the other side complied. Anya wasn’t one.

“Aren’t you sad? You won’t see them for another three seasons,” Yuuri asked with a joking tone.

“I’ll probably miss riding this sledge past the mountains with you, but not that lodge,” Viktor sighed, prompting a low chuckle from the younger man as they dashed away, hopefully not returning for a while longer.

“Right,” the ride slowed down when they were passing in the mountains, and Yuuri pulled out an envelope. “Mila went  back to town a bit to check your e-mails, and she asked me to give you this, it’s important, she said.”

Viktor curiously accepted the letter and tried to read through the ride back home.

And it was not a happy letter. It’s from his mother.

Since his father is going to have a child from his remarriage, there would be complication over inheritance. His mother discussed this with his father together and decided that, after all they’ve put Viktor through, they’d want to give Viktor one of their condominium in Australia.

His mother also offered a share in stock market if Viktor was interested in helping with her business, but the letter mainly encouraged him to get married soon, and both the divorced parents mentioned several names of possible partners for Viktor. And if Viktor had chosen someone, they’d like to know and plan a huge wedding in near Summer. They would like to meet Viktor soon in April.

Family.

Marriage.

When those two subjects were directed at him, Viktor couldn’t help but be slightly skeptical.

Yuri was the same, but his cousin was just young. Yuri might hadn’t known his father, but his estranged mother was known to love his father. Yuri was mostly raised by their grandfather in his young life. That child understood true compassion and loyalty.

For Viktor, it was different.

He had grown seeing his parents as an estranged couple. Both had their lives on their own, they didn’t mean to have marriage to share their lives. They just couldn’t bring themselves to do so. They loved Viktor, of course, but parenthood was different than marriage. It was easy to imagine the loyalty of friendship, of family, but for Viktor it was hard to imagine the loyalty of marriage.

Viktor could hear Toshiya’s words again from Spring a year ago. He didn’t have to think about it too much.

Besides, he shouldn’t compare himself with his parents. He’s his own person now.

Viktor realized that he had changed a lot, especially since last year, since meeting Yuuri. Since Yuuko’s wedding.

Somethings seem romantic when you’re seeing it done for others. Viktor wondered if his life wasn’t supposed to be romantic or at least felt that way. Like his parents did, they weren’t exactly romanticists, and ended up divorced anyways. Though Hiroko and Toshiya were the same. They weren't romantic but they ended up lasting for years to come.

Marriage was something strong for him. And Viktor had to admit, he’s a romanticist, and he would be expecting romantic things. That’s just how he was, and he accepted it. But he didn’t really need it. Now, he realized, it didn’t have to be exactly cheesy romantic things. Living in this village, Viktor had learned different romantics.

Romantics, love, it’s in the friendship with the villagers. In the way they’d share and visit. In the way he felt happy to see his friends getting married and off to a new journey of life together. It didn’t have to be something in a box of chocolates, a romantic candle dinner or bouquet of roses or even the spoken ‘love’.

And he had to realize, that, the only person who had spoken the word ‘love’, verbally, would be Father Lambiel, in a service and a wedding or a preach.

He had never heard Takeshi or Yuuko saying it. Not even the glue and stamp couple like JJ and Isabella nicknamed each other with ‘my love’ or something of the same. Viktor couldn’t imagine any of them saying it. Even Chris never said any words about ‘love’ whenever he talked about his fiance, Anthony.

“Viktor, are you okay? Were you cold?”

The sledge had stopped in front of the shop. Yuuri was probably being polite, letting Viktor a few minutes to sort his mind, but then he got worried.

“No, I’m fine. Thank you for giving me a ride...This is the last time, isn’t it?” Viktor slowly said, trying to get out of his train of thoughts. Yuuri just gave him an unreadable smile.

“Oh, right,” he said, before Viktor stood up. “I didn’t know that your birthday was in Christmas that Dinner Gala. Here,” he handed Viktor a small wrapped box. It was wrapped in brown standard package wrapper. Typical Yuuri.

“You know, that time you let me ride Vitya was a great enough present for me,” Viktor smiled, but embraced the small gift anyways.

“Yeah, but I’m not going to count that as a birthday gift. That’s a Christmas gift,” Yuuri grinned shyly. “That, or yes, you can say that I just want more reasons to give you things.”

“Why?”

“I just want to. I made that for you...and I think it suits you.”

Viktor smiled and waved him goodbye. Mila hadn’t returned from town, and he was glad because he couldn’t hide this goofy smile from his face. He remembered years when his parents would treat his birthday and Christmas as the same thing.

So this would be a first.

He unwrapped the gift. Inside was a beautifully carved box, and his heart stopped a little. When he opened it, a gentle music began to play. Viktor set it on his bedside table and sat down, listening to it.

It sounded warm, sweet, and Christmas-sy. There was some innocence, purity in the tone, but something romantic about it. Viktor let it play some more as he lied down, imagining himself walking arm in arm with someone in a Christmas market.

Yuuri was right.

It suited him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The music box is the Christmas Market music from tumblr morembcover! I think it suited Viktor. Here's the Link: http://morembcovers.tumblr.com/post/154950703937/merry-belated-christmas-here-is-the-download-for


	16. Bless Makkacchin

Mila was a kind girl; despite sometimes obnoxious, she knew when not to poke fun. The girl didn’t mention anything about the e-mail at all. Yuri spent his winter break without knowing a thing.

Now that Viktor’s settled back into the village and began to order seeds of red roses, Yuuri arrived in the first of March with a puppy and a kitten.

“Janny!” Yuri cheered, rushing off the porch. The kitten had been familiarized with Yuri, so she didn’t have a hard time getting off the sledge. Yuuri had to hold the puppy Makkacchin, though. He wouldn’t let go of Yuuri at all, fearing the strangers, and especially Yuri because the boy had no interest in him at all. Makkacchin feared people who didn’t pay him attention.

“Happy birthday, Yuri,” Yuuri congratulated the boy. “Please take care of Evgenia, will you?”

“You don’t need to tell what I already know, I hate that,” Yuri huffed, but slightly blushed. “But thanks.” He said, before rushing back into the house, hugging his precious kitten.

Viktor chuckled at his cousin’s obstinate behavior, but turned to Yuuri with a smile.

“We’re having a small birthday party for Yuri. There’s cake. Wanna come in?”

“Oh, no,” Yuuri frowned sadly, but smiled, “I still have a lot of work to get done, so I’ll have to pass. I’m just gonna introduce you to this puppy...” he approached Viktor closer with the cafe-au-lait pup in his arms.

“Makkacchin, this is your new owner, Viktor...Come say hi! Come on, boy...” Yuuri ushered, trying to turn Makkacchin to face Viktor, who was unable to hide his excitement.

“Hello, Makkacchin, what a beautiful boy,” Viktor reached to touch, and waited half-way.

Makkacchin then met his palm half the way, nuzzling into it, and soon, licking it. It didn’t take too long until Makkacchin wanted to get into Viktor’s arms.

“Oh my God,” Viktor slightly gasped. “He’s so cute...how do I take care of him? Do I train him?”

“Oh no, it’s okay. I’ve trained him well. He’ll run around you when he wanted to go out and do his business. He wouldn’t get onto a table or even couch unless you tell him to.” Yuuri proceeded in explaining how to feed and what not to give the poodle. That, and how Viktor had to take him for a walk for exercise.

“I’ll take good care of him.” Viktor promised, but more to himself, because he’s in love with Makkacchin already.

 

* * *

 

 

Makkacchin and Janny were really good friends. At night, they would cuddle and sleep together and Yuri would secretly coo at them when he thought Viktor wasn’t looking. When taking Makkacchin out for a jog, at first Yuri had to force himself to join Viktor, since Makkacchin was afraid of going anywhere without Evgenia. They had to go to Yuuri to ask how to end this, because Yuri was going to take Evgenia to town for his school. His high school dormitory allowed pets.

So Yuuri decided that they both should sleep with their own pets in their own bedrooms. It took a while until Makkacchin got used to not cuddling with the kitten (Janny was a carefree kitten and was more attached to Yuri). After a week or so, he was rather fixed on following Viktor everywhere. Yuuri said that Makkacchin would be a stronger poodle than Vicchan, now that he had learnt to let go. Vicchan had a hard time away from Yuuri because they’ve been together since forever.

Sometimes during his morning jog (Viktor mused at this new habit, hah) he couldn’t help but let his mind wander towards his parents’ e-mail again.

After all they’ve put through, Viktor felt that his parents were going to wrong him again if they insisted on these many things. He didn’t want them to take care of his wedding, he just wished they’d be content in being invited.

At some mornings in the rest of the winter, the road was flattened in thick snow, but it was strong enough for them to walk on. Viktor saw JJ and Isabella passing by the front of his shop on a sledge. Roy jumping around in excitement, the couple singing merrily.

When he jogged in the afternoon with Makkacchin, he saw Yuuko, all big and bloated, in Takeshi’s arms as they slide on the sledge pulled by Takeshi’s old plow horse around the village. They went around the village several time, and Viktor began to feel restless, sitting on his porch, petting Makkacchin, waiting for Yuri to return from the inn with their dinner.

Then, the familiar chimes of bell arrived, with Vitya and Viktor’s favorite sledge. He stared into the rider's eyes, which were gleaming.

“Do you want to ride with me?”

“Yes,” Viktor excitedly answered, kissing Makkacchin, and got off his porch to join in the ride. Yuuri laughed in amusement as Vitya paced in a pleasant speed.

“What’s funny?”

“You remember that one time you said you didn’t want to ride with me anymore?”

Viktor  flattened his lips in embarrassment, looking straight ahead as they joined the other couple of snow sledge riders.

“That was then. Now is different.”

“What changed your mind?”

Viktor huffed, mumbling incoherently, but Yuuri didn’t push him.

A lot had changed his mind. But Viktor was beginning to be sure. It was hard to say, but he knew what he’s feeling.

 

* * *

 

 

When spring arrived, it was a busy time for everyone, especially for a florist with a wedding order.

Viktor felt significantly less lonely than last year, now that he have Makkacchin whom he could talk to and would bark back. Yuri had started his first year in high school, a dorm life in town, and would still play with Phichit in his orchestra. Mila had returned before the last snow. Viktor’s teaching payment had been transferred, but he didn’t feel too excited to check his savings.

He couldn’t help but feel excited when JJ had announced that the mayor would build a school in their village, and JJ would have a hand on it. Takeshi was happy to hear this, since he wasn’t willing to imagine having his children to go to the other village just to study basic subtractions. Viktor would still be able to teach, and now he wouldn’t even need to leave the village.

After a long spring cleaning, Viktor decided to drop by the inn to enjoy their hot spring. He made this an annual thing. Last year he dipped in before Yuuko’s wedding. Yuri and Mila had bathed here more often than Viktor since they’ve worked here part-time.

However, half of the way to the spring, Toshiya mentioned that Yuuri was inside as well, and Viktor nearly wanted to escape.

He had begun to feel self-conscious around the younger man. Not just self-conscious, there’s _a lot more than that_.

“Hello,” Viktor said, closing the sliding door behind him. Yuuri looked surprised, and glanced away in embarrassment. The younger man was dipped in until his neck, but Viktor couldn’t help but stare, because throughout last year, all those horse training, the farming, the winter snow sledge rides, Yuuri seemed _soft_.

Then Viktor somewhat remembered that Minako had mentioned this. Yuuri would need a special regiment if he wanted to have muscles. Viktor inhaled and decided to just be over with it.

He dipped in on the front edge near the door, and Yuuri distanced away further.

“You know, it’s not so hot over there. It’s okay to come closer.” Yuuri said.

“Oh, okay,” Viktor clumsily walked over to Yuuri, who turned crimson. He made gentle splashes in his move.

“I didn’t mean closer _here_... I meant...I mean, whatever.”

Viktor wanted to drown himself, now just realizing Yuuri probably meant he could get to the center-side more instead of inching closer to the younger boy. He really needed to sort his jumbled mind and emotions.

They didn’t say anything. But it was different than usual. Now it was just...awkward. They were bare to each other.

“I liked—liked...that music box you gave me,”

“Oh,”

“It helps Makkacchin—I mean, _me_ , sleep well...I mean, it helps Makkacchin too...”

“I, I see. Good.”

 _Oh this was so dumb_. It’s just...Viktor felt it was beyond indecent. He had these...these _overwhelming feelings for Yuuri_ , and he didn’t even know _where to begin_ , and now he’s seeing the subject of his feelings _close by, and naked_...

“I’m hungry, so....so I’ll go now,” Yuuri said, making splashes in the spring, moving away awkwardly.

“Oh. Alright. See you.”

“Y-Yeah. See you.”

Viktor tried to act like he wasn’t watching Yuuri got out—and tried all his might to act like he didn’t see how Yuuri’s towel _accidentally fell off the back side_ , but _he did_ , and Viktor wanted to whack his head onto the hot spring’s stones.

 

* * *

 

It was awkward the next evening, when Yuuri arrived with Yura and Vitya with his carriage. They stared at each other blankly, speechless, reenacting the hot spring scene in each of their own mind, being dumb.

“You wanna...” Yuuri gulped. “Viktor, would you like to ride around the village?”

“Yes...” Viktor muttered, and heard Makkacchin whined. “Can Makkacchin come?”

“Of course.”

_Bless Makkacchin who served to sit between Yuuri and Viktor that evening._

The weather was moist, but it was a bright evening, nearly cloudless. The horses walked past the lavender plate; it wasn’t blooming in full yet, they had to wait until summer. Everything was still soft green, still waking up from winter, but the very least, there was no snow anymore.

“Last night, at the hot spring—“

Damn. Viktor was hoping they had this silent agreement to never talk about _that_ , but this had to happen instead!?

“—Were you able to relax?”

“Uhm,” Viktor took a deep breath. He was a bit disappointed for a silly reason. “Well, I tried.”

Yuuri  nodded nervously.

They wander to their own thoughts again.

Viktor began to think about marriage. If he’s married...what will happen to the Flower Shop? Was he going to move out? Should he pay someone to take care of it? And he would no longer be able to ride in this carriage anymore, would he?

Well, unless his partner would be _Yuuri_...

Viktor wasn’t dumb nor insensitive. He knew that Yuuri had been trying to court him, of course. But Yuuri, despite being blunt or too plain at some points, had been nothing but romantic to Viktor. He was shy, but he was the kind of young man that could show things better than saying it.

Though it was a bit hard for Viktor to speak out his feelings now—to return it, since Yuuri had only been showing his affection for Viktor, words couldn’t compare anymore. His affections were clearly felt, and Viktor wondered what to do to return that. It wasn’t easy to say. It was more than words.

He had to show it.

But would now be a good time? After that hot spring incident? Would that only make it feel like he had ulterior motive? Only acting on his feelings now that he’s seen Yuuri’s body?

 _Bless Makkacchin_. Viktor decided to go against acting out on it. He had to...return it. Not because he wanted to prove that he accepted Yuuri’s affections, no.

 _He wanted_ to make the other as happy as he had been, as well.


	17. An Anchor of Some Sort

Things were much purer in this village.

Everyone was honest most of the time, and hospitality wasn’t mere acting or mannerism. They meant their cheerfulness and friendliness. So whenever JJ would pass Isabella’s supermarket and serenade his girl, leaving a flower, it wasn’t just for show or the sake of wooing. They’re just that kind of couple. They would both grow into this silly old couple who would still be dramatic, as if falling for the first time all over again.

Viktor was that kind of person, but what about Yuuri? Yuuri was shy and very humble, but he had this composed masculinity in things he’s skillful with. Meeting him the first time, and then seeing him playing music or training horses would always be a surprise. Viktor found that very charming.

There was also Yuuko and Takeshi. They had been childhood friends. Yuuko was cute and energetic, and she would yell when she’s angry, but that’s because it's the only time Takeshi would listen to her. Takeshi was very carefree—and careless, a bit ignorant, but Yuuko was his weakness. The domestic childhood couple would be wild and loud but lively, and Viktor thought it'd be amusing when the triplets arrived into the frame.

Chris and Anthony were an interesting dynamic. Chris was so dominant and open with his affection, but he’s a tease, and Anthony was a serious and introverted man, so, a teasing fodder. Though from Chris’s stories, Viktor could somewhat picture that Chris and Anthony could bring out the aggressiveness in each other. A couple that could bring out something special in each other sounded romantic.

But Hiroko and Toshiya were also a sweet old couple. They just faced everyday happily with hard work. They were content with what they have, but they’re open for improvement. They didn’t judge their own children for whatever choices they made. They didn’t try to steer to what’s a good life is or what’s not, they just raised their children properly and let them fly on their own. Maybe that’s an ideal family.

So how was Viktor supposed to show his affection to Yuuri, who had been pouring him a lot of it for nearly a year? Who had been fierce in his effort, and yet, without needing—or even able to word it out?

Viktor found himself trying to look cleaner, wearing a dress-shirt beneath his gardening apron, making sure his bangs didn’t have that usual cowlick, and he had went to the barber to tidy his hair cut the night before. It’s near the time when Yuuri would arrive for their evening ride. Viktor was nervous and feeling a little dizzy.

He sat on the porch, trying to keep an elegant sitting position. He had taken a double effort to make his front garden look cleaner than his usual muddy and messy garden.

Viktor felt restless. He wouldn’t know what to feel if Yuuri decided not to come for today, since they never really had an agreement for a ride in the evening, after all. He leaned onto the pillar of his porch, feeling his head heavy.

The wind felt so nice.

And that song, ‘Always with Me’, and the guitar...was so gentle. Accompanied by the gentle clopping of horse shoes. Isabella’s voice was so nice...though at one part of the lyrics his accent was showing in the Japanese lyrics.

The horseshoe stopped clopping, but the song continued, along with the guitar.

Wait.

Viktor raised his head, realizing he was half-asleep, and the carriage was already in front of his flower shop, but Yuuri wasn’t alone this time. Isabella waved at him, still singing, whilst Phichit on Yuuri’s other side, playing the guitar.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Yuuri waved towards Viktor, who went still for a while. “Would you like to ride with us, today?”

“...Yes.”

Viktor had to sit beside Isabella, on the leftmost side of the carriage, whilst the teen continued singing. He couldn’t help but look elsewhere, since he felt like he had a horrible expression right now. Maybe if Yuuri looked at him right now, he’ll see how disappointed he was.

Of course, Yuuri was free to take anyone on his carriage. It wasn’t something that’s especially reserved for Viktor. He was just...being silly. He thought Yuuri would also assume that their evening ride was a special time just for the two of them. Of course not. He felt like an outsider all of the sudden, despite all three of them were his friends. He shouldn't have!

Stupid Viktor. Silly Viktor.

He realized that they had stopped in front of the Church, and Phichit got off. Isabella excused herself for stepping over Viktor, glad that she was wearing pants that evening. The two thanked Yuuri for the ride and went into the Church, laughing in amusement.

“Let’s go, Vitya,” Yuuri told his horse, and the ride continued in silence.

Viktor didn’t know what to say now. It didn’t even matter that he had tried to look nice, Yuuri wouldn’t notice because Isabella and Phichit had been taking up all his attention earlier.

“Viktor, why are you still wearing your apron?” Yuuri asked, and Viktor mentally groaned upon realizing that he still had his gardening apron over his dress shirt. “It’s okay though, that dress shirt is really nice on you. I wouldn’t want it to get dirty either.”

Yuuri noticed. _He’s always had his eyes on Viktor_.

Viktor realized that he was being silly.

If he wanted to show his affection to Yuuri...he had to do it by _being himself_. And if Yuuri couldn’t accept that, then maybe it was just...something that he’d have to let go.

“I’m...” Viktor took a deep breath. “This evening ride,” he started, “Do you mind if...if it’s just for the two of us, from now on?”

Viktor felt that he was being way too daring right now. He prepared himself for Yuuri to scoff and say: _‘What? Who do you think you are?’_ and just be hit by embarrassment.

“It _is_ , actually,” Yuuri coughed, face alight in redness. “Phichit and Belle just forced themselves on, they were too lazy to walk from the Willow Pond and wanted to go to the Church. I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m—It’s not that...it’s just—“

“I mean, I ruined my only chance to be with you today. I should’ve told them off, being more straight forward about it.” Yuuri huffed, his fists visibly tangling the rein over Vitya, and despite the carriage was moving at a peaceful pace, Viktor’s heart was _not_ okay.

_Just be yourself, Viktor._

“Can I lean on you?”

“Oh...Um. O-Okay.”

Viktor inhaled and scooted closer, just a bit, because Yuuri was a bit shorter than he was, then weighed his head onto the strong left shoulder. He sighed when Yuuri didn’t push him away. He could hold onto Yuuri’s words. The carriage movement was lulling him into comfort.

“You’re very warm. Are you sick?” Yuuri asked.

“Mm, I’m not sure, I did feel heady this afternoon.” Viktor opened his eyes again and looked at Yuuri’s free hand that tried to feel his forehead. It was rough, but well-tended, unlike Takeshi, who had broken dirty nails.

Viktor held that left hand with both of his, taking it down from his head to nuzzle with his face.

“Is this okay?”

“Y-Yeah...” Yuuri whimpered, and Viktor couldn’t help but went and hugged the side of the farmer’s shoulder, feeling his heart was leaping like a joyful bird. “Viktor, be careful, you’ll scare Vitya.”

“Sorry,” Viktor hummed into Yuuri’s shoulder, drowning himself into the scent of sweat and sun. But Yuuri didn’t tell him to let go. He closed his eyes in peace.

Ah...

He felt so happy right now.

He didn’t want to let go. He didn’t want this ride to end.

 

* * *

 

 

The more he thought of how he didn't want it to end, Viktor began to feel as if he was floating. They were riding in a gentle, lulling pace, and they couldn't see any end nor turn in sight. Just an endless road beneath the spring sky, with cherry blossom petals flying in the air.

All of a sudden, he felt wet.

"Is it raining?" Viktor asked, scrutinizing his closed eyes.

"No, Makkacchin is wet." Yuuri said. "He's sitting on your head."

Viktor opened his eyes and frowned. The poodle was sitting on top of his head, all soaked wet like a drenched brown mop.

"Oh no! Why are you here, Makkacchin!?" Viktor asked. "Yuuri, when did Makkacchin get here?" he turned to Yuuri, only to find _Vicchan_ was there, sitting in place of Yuuri, holding the rein, and barked once.

His heart was thumping loud and the horses were running faster... _but those were not horses_! Vitya and Yura were replaced by two big poodles! The carriage was running faster and they're heading into... _Willow Pond_!?

"STOP THE CARRIAGE! WE'RE GONNA HIT--"

"Viktor!"

They crashed. He screamed, and he fell into the _ocean_. It was so wide and he could see no land in sight.

"NO...! OH NO...HELP! HELP!"

Suddenly, there was an earthquake, and Viktor stopped thrashing and swimming, and he woke up, Yuuri shaking him awake.

He wasn't sitting on the carriage anymore. They were in Viktor's bedroom, and the florist was in his bed. His head was wet due to the wet towel on his forehead. The black-haired young man stared at him, both hands still holding onto his shoulders, grimacing in worry.

"Oh...it was just a dream..." Viktor breathed out, realizing that he felt his body was heavy. "What...happened?"

Yuuri sighed in relief and adjusted the wet compress back onto Viktor's head. "You fell asleep, and your fever got worse, so I took you home. Since you didn't wake up and I'm a worrywart, I brought you here. I hope you don't mind."

Viktor wanted to respond something, but he suddenly lost the will to talk, feeling an uncomfortable, heavy lump in his throat. He came to realize how heavy his body was, but he felt comfortable because he was dry and had changed into his pajama. Viktor's blue eyes watched how Yuuri cleaned up towels from a small bucket. His gardening apron and dress shirt, along with his trousers...and...

...

Were on the floor.

Viktor could no longer differ whether he was feeling hot from fever or embarrassment. Yuuri looked calm, turning to Viktor with a gentle smile as he lifted himself up with the bucket of water, and caress his silver hair gently.

"Rest up, Viktor." he muttered, and left the room. "There's water on your bedside table." he added from outside.

Viktor just lied down there limply, feeling...content...despite having a fever. Though he didn't want to sleep. He was afraid Yuuri would leave him to sleep. Though he was soon drowning into the abyss of unconsciousness. It was dreamless, and felt like seconds, but when he opened his eyes, he felt slightly energized.

Viktor remembered Yuuri's words and drank the water from the provided pitcher and glass on his bedside table. He gathered his blanket, sat up, and covered his shoulders with it, before getting off his bed, walking a bit clumsily. Peeking into his middle room, he felt warmth filling him up as if he was a bottle being filled, seeing Yuuri in his kitchen, his back on the dining table. The young farmer was grating ginger into a boiling pot, and used a ladle to pour a bit of whatever he was cooking into a small saucer to taste it. Humming, he turned off the stove, finally noticing Viktor who was dragging himself to sit in one of the dining chairs.

"Good?" Yuuri asked, as he served a bowl of hot chicken soup and a cup of tea for Viktor. Viktor inhaled the aromatic steam, feeling slightly better than before.

"Good." Viktor answered, and let go of his hold onto the blanket to start eating, letting the fabric fell off of his back. Yuuri walked behind him to settle the blanket over his shoulder and tied it up into a silly cape. It's warm and comfortable.

The florist remembered his first year in this village. Although Yuuko and Takeshi were around, in evenings he would be alone unless he went to visit the inn. When he was introduced to Hiroko and Toshiya, the couple insisted he had to visit everyday to have dinner, and always had Mari or other neighbors to send him food everyday. Viktor could manage making toast or sunny side up, but in later days he would drown himself with work, having hours in his hothouse or garden just to forget about his loneliness. In that kind of time, he would forgot to eat well.

Then he caught a fever and it was horrible. If not because of Mari who was delivering food for him, he might have gone through worse. It was lonely and he just wanted to sleep back to health, but that didn't work.

When he was a child, he was stronger, so when he had a fever, he could take care of himself. He didn't want to worry his busy parents. He could order dinner by phone or make instant soup, and take fever medicines. He mostly did it because if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to go to school, and they'd report that to his parents, and they'd end up getting worried.

When Yuri moved in with him, Viktor only ate because Yuri would fuss over him that it'd be a trouble if he fell ill and he was in town for school. It was just slightly less-lonely, but Viktor realized that he was only taking care of himself because he didn't want Yuri to be angry.

Today, he was beyond grateful. It was ironic, because he was grateful for having a fever. But he was much more grateful for the presence that was taking care of him.

"This is delicious," Viktor hummed after several spoonful of the chicken soup that quickly warmed his insides. Albeit it didn't warm his soul as much as this small event that's unraveling between them.

"That's a combination of my mom's and Phichit's recipe. I get cold easily and in dorm, Phichit would make this sour, clear, but warm chicken soup for me. My mom would make me a bland but had gingers in it. Usually she would make rice porridge with pickled plum. It's good for your health. I wanted to make one, but you don't keep rice here."

Viktor hummed, letting Yuuri's voice filled the room. Makkacchin had settled beneath the table, sleeping on Viktor's feet to seep warmth from his fever.

He was so grateful.

It was a wonderful feeling. Yuuri took care of him. Despite being worried, he didn't fuss over Viktor much, he just did whatever he could to help. Viktor finally learned how it feels to have someone right behind him. Yuuri wouldn't worry over him all the time, but he was there when Viktor couldn't stand on his own. It was different than having Yuri, his parents, Yuuko, Takeshi, or Mari worrying for him. Viktor didn't feel as if he's getting in the way.

Yuuri didn't ask too many questions such as 'Are you okay? Are you sure you should be around? Shouldn't you go back to bed?' No. He just asked 'Good?'. He took care of Viktor without a word. And Viktor felt safe to rely on the younger farmer.

Safe.

_Safe._

Viktor's eyes widened as he watched Yuuri absentmindedly talking about Vicchan making a mess in the field this morning.

"Are you going, after this?"

"Yes. I have to finish planting stuff."

This time, Viktor wasn't afraid to open up his desires a bit more.

"When you're done, would you come back? You can use my cousin's room."

And Yuuri didn't disappoint, smiling brightly.

"Okay!"

Viktor grinned back, both in relief and happiness. It was just a one-night sleep over. They weren't going to be in the same bed or anything. But he just knew, he wanted to have someone there when he wakes up. Thinking about that made him feel even much better. Yuuri said he was planning to check on Viktor first thing in the morning, but he thought that Viktor's idea was brilliant.

Though Viktor was slightly dazed and wobbly when walking to his bed that night, he felt fulfilled. Yuuri came in to refill his water pitcher and had him swallow two spoonfuls of wild honey for his sore throat. Saying good night to each other, Yuuri turned off the lamp and left his room, closing the door. Viktor opened his music box and turned it several times before tucking himself beneath his blanket.

That night, knowing that he wasn't alone, Viktor fell asleep without waking up in the middle of the night like he usually would. He felt peace. He felt safe.

And the following morning, when he woke up, and Yuuri knocked his door to check if he's awake, Viktor felt he just had the best sleep in years.

He had found his anchor.


	18. Sudden Departure

April was near, but there was no fixed date on when Viktor’s parents would visit. He didn’t worry too much, because he’s set on what he really wanted right now. He was enjoying this courting moments with Yuuri, and not having to read between the lines if they were dating or not.

Cherry blossoms were blooming in full by the end of March, and it was a beautiful night to enjoy a ride, moon viewing at Willow Pond, drinking _sake_. The moon viewing was crowded at the inn, but Yuuri had other plans, and to be completely honest, Viktor preferred this other plan. Though the cherry blossom trees that hung from the cliff above the pond weren’t as big as the ones in the village, they were enough the accentuate the full moon that was reflected on the pond.

“Do you want to try and hold the carriage?” Yuuri asked, sipping onto his alcohol.

Viktor smiled languidly to the younger boy. “Why? Are you too drunk?”

“No. I just want to let you try.”

“I’d love to.”

They were just a little tipsy, but Yuuri decided that they had to stop drinking and enjoyed another hour without drinking before they return to the village. Viktor inched closer to the younger man, had been growing more free with his touches as of late. Yuuri’s shoulders were Viktor’s favorite spots. Yuuri let him embrace him from behind and drown his face to nuzzle on his right shoulder.

The farmer held onto Viktor’s hands that were wrapped on his abdomen, gently playing with his long, pale fingers.

Men’s hands are always mostly toned, that’s a fact, but Yuuri seemed to be marveling at how different a hand of a florist was, compared to his farming hands. Viktor’s fingers had cutting marks, or fading scars from scissors and usually roses. They were rough and a bit wrinkly, but pale and clean, well-cared every time he finished work. Yuuri’s hands were rougher and they weren’t curly-shaped like Viktor’s. A little sun-burnt on the wrists where his working gloves sometimes didn’t cover enough. Beneath the moon, Viktor’s hands looked pearly pale, whilst Yuuri’s hands looked milky and soft.

“What are you thinking right now?” Viktor muttered, his voice a bit sleepy from comfort of the shoulder he’s leaning on.

Yuuri took a slow, deep breath, gently playing with the books of Viktor’s fingers.

“I was—was just wondering, if...” Viktor could hear a gulp, “...If you’d like it...If you were to be given a ring.”

Viktor pulled back slightly, biting on his lower lip, realizing that his face was probably red, and his insides felt like melting.

He put his chin atop of Yuuri’s black messy hair.

“Depends on who’s giving it.” He playfully supplied, now feeling tingly as Yuuri continued playing with his fingers.

“If it’s from me?”

“Then depends on the ring,” Viktor hummed, and slid down, nuzzling to the back of Yuuri’s head. “Are you...gonna teach me now, or not?”

Yuuri huffed in determination, giving one last squeeze to Viktor’s cool hands, before reluctantly unwrapping those arms from around him.

“Yeah. Let’s start the lesson now, while the moon is still out.”

Viktor could feel the squeeze and warmth upon his hands even until he’s tucked in his own bedroom, finding it hard to fall asleep. Though this time, the cause was a pleasant thought, instead of insomnia.

 

* * *

 

A letter from Mila came, which only meant his printed out e-mails. Viktor’s parents were going to visit him in April 15th. And they would talk about the marriage thingy...and he should really talk about this with Yuuri now.

He had been doing well with his carriage-riding lesson; Yuuri would sometimes let him hold the rein and lean back, but then Viktor insisted Yuuri should lean on him like he’s always did. Yuuri, having open up a lot more to Viktor, decided that it was a good idea to lie down on Viktor’s lap as the silver-haired florist held the rein, trying to keep on a straight face throughout his lesson.

Sometimes when Viktor held the rein, Yuuri would play a harmonica, and Viktor had playfully asked if Yuuri could play any instrument. Yuuri said he could do anything if he’d try and learn it. He admitted that he wasn’t exactly a person with a striking specialty or talent because of this, but he had grown to accept that it was fine. Viktor wanted to tell him that he thought Yuuri was beautiful and wonderful and amazing, but...well, it was hard to say.

The thing is, Yuuri had made Viktor felt content, and fulfilled, and it’s _amazing_ , and it’s _so much more_ , but there was no words that could compare to _this_.

They also had this new habit, where Viktor would give Yuuri a tight hug before getting off of the carriage and petting the horse before saying goodbye.

 

* * *

 

 

“Viktor, I can’t decide if I should have our family’s wine for my wedding; I would be so bored, everyone here’s been drinking that! But Anthony said it’s a family tradition of mine!”

“Chris, I’m a florist, not your wedding planner,” Viktor huffed, watering the roses bulbs, the second bloom would be in the end of the month, but he had to work a lot to manage how the flowers bloom at its peak around the beginning of October.

“You’re my friend, so you’re supposed to side with me.”

“I will if it’s vodka.”

“No. No. Viktor, if you have a wedding, _are you_ going to serve _vodka_ during reception?”

Viktor watched Makkacchin who was frolicking around the rose garden, chasing a humming bird that flew low.

“No, we will have champagne.” The florist said playfully, waving his showering can to the left.

“You’re putting such an expensive taste for Yuuri!”

“Wh— _no_! I didn’t mean it like that!” Viktor scrambled to catch his watering can that nearly slip off of his hands. He could feel his ears reddening. “Yuuri could serve hot chocolate in our reception, for all I care.”

Chris coughed in a mocking way; the florist had to resist the urge to whack his friend with the watering can.

“Ah-hem, so someone’s already expecting a ring~ What joyful gossip to share.”

Not that anyone had ever gossip about negative things in this village anyways.

Rather than the promise of ring, Viktor was more nervous about his parents’ visit, to be honest. He really, _really_ had to tell Yuuri about this. He wondered if Yuuri would mind if he’d introduce him to his parents, or if it’s too soon, _they haven’t been engaged yet._..or was he just waiting for the ring? He could just buy it himself, actually. _Yuuri didn’t have to bear those rings on his own..._

“Viktor, prince charming is at your door,” Chris said, and Viktor nearly doubled over and drop everything when he skipped out of his garden. Now this was a surprise; Yuuri hadn’t been really visiting before noon, usually it’s just asking to order some seeds, though.

However, Viktor nearly wanted to gasp loudly when seeing Yuuri all _clean and dressed up_ in a formal outfit.

“Viktor, I’m going to Italy tonight,” he said without greetings, “The man who gave me the farming land just got into an accident, and no one’s taking care of him. Phichit is also coming with me. He was our orchestra’s founder. So, I—“

“Yuuri, you need to calm down,” Viktor gulped, feeling the rush of panic as well, because it’s too late now, _he couldn’t even tell Yuuri about his parent’s visit_. “Do you need to sit?”

“No, it’s fine. I just want to see you before I go,” Yuuri smiled warmly. “Oh, right. Here’s the key to my farmhouse. Otabek is taking care of Yura and Vitya during his spring break, but you’re free to use my carriage or ride Vitya. Vicchan is at the inn with my parents, so she’s fine. Hello, Makkacchin! _You’re bigger by the day, aren’t you, big boy_?”

Yuuri was quickly distracted to kneel down and hug Makkacchin who leapt into his extended arms.

Everything was a rush; Yuuri said his goodbyes to Chris, and Viktor wanted to say something but he couldn’t even think of something. Only when they embraced, the time slowed down a little, yet when Yuuri let go of him, it felt that it had ended too soon.

Viktor watched Yuuri left with his carriage, and Otabek, who would have to return with it to the village later. The florist was a little disappointed, but he was finally accepting the fact that he would have to postpone the intro with his parents.


	19. Being Loved

His parents were much more older than the last time Viktor’s seen them, and this made him feel sad. Because he was no longer a young man himself. Twenty nine wasn’t old, but it’s not young either. It felt odd and sad because now he’s in an equal standing with his parents.

Viktor now had his own life and choices, he had a strong conviction about this, now. His parents were walking side by side at a distance, but they looked cheerful, enjoying the walk from the inn. They never really had a fight even through the divorce.

The only time his parents fought was when Viktor was little, he got lost in Australia when playing at the beach because his parents were going out with each of their own set of friends. Since Viktor couldn't choose which of his parents he'd like to follow, he told them that he just wanted to play at the beach and he could return to their apartment on his own. Though...in the end, he couldn't and got lost. His parents blamed each other because of that and Viktor just wanted them to stop fighting over his fault.

His parents loved him. Viktor knew that. He used to blame them for being the man that he was, but now he had learned that who he had become wasn't a result of the people or experiences that happened to him. Viktor had learned, that the kind of person he was, the happiness he felt, it was all the result of his own choices.

Though, Viktor had to admit, he couldn't learn everything on his own. It was because of Yuuri, who came into his life and made him decide on things he had never thought of before. He never really thought of choosing between 'being himself' to 'being polite and charming' until he met Yuuri and wanted to see if the boy would like him for...well, _him_. He never really thought what kind of person he really was until he met Yuuri. All his life, he just strive on being polite, charming, charismatic, fun guy, capable. He didn't want to get in anyone's way and just do what he wanted. He left his old life and moved to this village in hope to really understand himself, but the only thing he learned and accepted about himself was that he was _lonely_.

That he had a hard time to get committed. That he had a hard time to rely on others. That he viewed his craving for a shoulder to lean on as a burden.

Then Yuuri appeared, and he learned that doing what he really wanted was a kind of courage.

He thought back to the last few days since Yuuri left to Italy. It was a blur. He tried to ride with Vitya, tried to have Yura and Vitya pull the carriage for him around the village, but it felt so weird and somewhat sad to do it alone. Once he had Yuuko and Takeshi, but Viktor didn’t feel like talking, so the three of them just enjoyed the warmth of spring.

He let Isabella and JJ for a round some other day, and they’d talk amongst their own, as if knowing that Viktor wanted to be left to his own thoughts. Once, Chris dragged him for a ride after another disagreement with his beloved Anthony, and they were mostly quiet. The two friends sort of understood this odd loneliness.

“You’re not worrying, right?” Chris asked, as they neared the farmhouse. Otabek was seen playing catch with Vicchan.

Viktor shook his head. “No.”

No, he wasn’t worried. He _knew_ Yuuri would return. And, that they shared the same feelings. Though he found it hard to be himself without Yuuri.

He realized, he had always tried too hard to enjoy everything in this village. But when he’s with Yuuri, that joy came so naturally. And he’s content with himself right now. He didn’t have to force himself to act content. Because _he was_. It’s just a bit lonely to not have that soft bundle of bespectacled farmer to cuddle with. Viktor learned that he was a cuddler for Yuuri. And he kinda _liked_ that side of him. Yuuri liked it too.

Viktor felt that it was romantic to learn something new about himself just from meeting the right person.

So now, April 15th, he was serving herbal tea for his parents in his small dining, feeling a bit heady. It was a similar feeling with the spring fever he had before, but Viktor knew it wasn't.

“This is a lovely house Lilia’s left you, Viktor,” his mother commented, looking around. “You’ve taken cared of it well.”

“Thank you, mama.” Viktor took a seat himself. “How was the inn?”

“What’s with the long face, Vitya?” his father asked, and Viktor nearly choked on his tea. “You okay?”

“Sorry. It’s been a while since I was called that. There’s a horse here named Vitya, so...”

His father laughed, founding it very amusing.

“But if there’s a horse called Vitya here, then what does that...Yuuri boy calls you for endearment?”

“We don’t—eh?” Viktor’s eyes widened in surprise. “You...You know Yuuri. Wait. _Of course_.” He wanted to smack his own head, forgetting for a moment there that Yuuri Katsuki was the son of the inn owners. His mother giggled.

“Hiroko is a lovely woman, you know, she talked to us during a lovely dinner last night. She was so surprised to hear that we’re your parents and said that ‘ _My Yuuri-kun told us before going to Italy, he was going to ask your son’s hands in marriage!_ ’ and we talked all night long. Though your father’s weak, of course, he’s too old now, he can’t stay up past 12 anymore.”

“Whatever,” the older man rolled his eyes at his ex-wife. Though, he returned to look at his son. “How was he?”

Viktor nodded. “I’m...Soon. Maybe after Chris’s marriage. You guys remember Chris, right?”

“Yes, we met his fiance last night at the inn as well.” His father nodded. “But I meant that...Well, we’re not in the place to say this kind of thing, but are you _really_ sure, Viktor?”

Viktor was so taken aback he needed a while to really hear what his father had just said. At the lack of response, his father pushed.

“I know, after all we’ve put you through, after all you’ve seen from us, _and we have the audacity_ , right? You’re still our son, Viktor.” Father said, patting his son’s silver hair.

“We just want to make sure you’re happy, Viktor,” his mother said, caressing his hand. Her blue eyes were teary. “Even if I’ve never looked properly at you and now you’ve grown a charming, strong man on your own, I know it’s been lonely. And it’s our fault. But we’ve found our own ways, and we’re happy now, so at the very least, we owe you your happiness. Because you’ve been such a good son to us. Patient, diligent, and cheerful...and...”

“Thank you.” Viktor muttered, shaken as he hung his head low. He widened his eyes, because he felt the tears welling up from the corners. “It’s just. It’s...it was lonely...and...I’m a bit scared...”

That noon, Viktor felt like he had been returned as a child.

Like that time, when his hair was long, and he would be huddling in the dining room alone. But that special noon, he wasn’t alone. He was just a child, and his parents were there. Viktor learned that he was still loved as a child. His parents never brought up about wedding or future plans, and it’s all thanks to Hiroko for talking to them the night before.

His parents stayed a while, and he gave them a tour, introduced them to Makkacchin (“Oh noo...he’s so cute...Viktor please let me bring him home!” “Mama, no.”), and after closing his shop, he had his parents on a carriage ride around the village (“Can I try?” “No, Papa. You’ll have to ask Yuuri, so you have to come to our wedding if you want to try this.”). He didn’t feel too lonely anymore; he still missed Yuuri, yet he could smile, finally, and be cheerful again, as he waved to his parents goodbye before leaving the front of the inn.


	20. Promises of Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The music piece Yuuri played would be Stammi Vicino duet, a piano cover by RUI.

Days passed quickly without the evening ride.

Viktor, being the romantic as he was, pondered at how wonderful it is, that his time with Yuuri during the evening ride had always felt so momentous. It’s as if the time slowed down for them, yet when it’s time to part, it felt like it had just ended when it started. But he could dream about every single detail of their evenings, and the promise of having another ride the next evening gave him excitement to tend his garden.

Though it was quite a blur without the ride for now. No matter how many interactions he had with Chris, or watching JJ going back and forth with the other workers, bringing logs for the school construction, even when he had tea when visiting Yuuko who’d use him to complain about Takeshi in her mood swings...Viktor couldn’t really grasp it all.

He felt like he was aging more quickly and it felt like months since Yuuri had left. It was only May the first, though. _Two weeks_!

He was cutting off the roses' second bloom. Phichit had to get back soon, because Viktor needed help to ship these flowers away and tend for the roses' third bloom. Makkacchin came in and nuzzled his head to Viktor’s knees. The pup, now significantly bigger than before, was holding a letter in his mouth.

“What is it, boy?” he cooed, kneeling down, needing a bit of force to get Makkacchin to let the letter go.

Aside of dog’s breath, there was a familiar scent about that envelope. Viktor held his breath.

He had never seen Yuuri’s handwriting before.

**Will you come to the Church at 7 this evening? –Y.K.**

That’s it.

Viktor chuckled. Yuuri was always so proper at technical things; he even had an envelope for such a short notice! The florist stood up, gazing out of his hothouse. Dusk had arrived, and it will soon be the time of planned meeting. He took off his gardening apron, hung it on a coat rack by the hothouse door, and waited for Makkacchin to follow him out before locking up.

He tried to clean up, but no matter how hard he looked in his drawer, he couldn’t find a nicer shirt except for that dress shirt for his tux in formal events.

Then, he heard the sound of rain.

Viktor held a sigh. He decided on a cream sweater because it didn’t matter anyways, since he’ll eventually wear a jacket and have to hold an umbrella. When he was feeding Makkacchin, it was nearly half past six, so he had to be haste, since it was a thirty minutes walk to the Church.

Since usually the village had torch or lantern to light the road, it’s dark when it’s raining. Viktor had to bring his own lantern, while his other hand holding the umbrella. Good thing it wasn’t so windy with the rain. Though his pants were already getting muddy half of the way.

The Church wasn’t lit, just the front torch. Inside was even darker, but there were dim lights from far afront. Viktor took off his gardening boots and left it by the door outside with his umbrella, before entering the Church.

“Can you close the door?” a voice echoed from the front.

Viktor nearly leapt out of joy, but he took a deep breath and closed the door behind him, emitting an echoing slam.

Gentle tones began to play, echoing elegantly in the establishment, and Viktor recognized the music as he quietly walked to approach the young pianist. The young farmer. The horse rider. The carriage owner. The inn owner’s son. How can one person has a many roles.

Yuuri finished the piece, and he scooted a bit, nodding his head to Viktor. The silver-haired took a seat close, hugging the younger man, and being hugged in return.

Viktor was so happy because neither of them wanted to let go.

How did he know? It’s hard to say, but he just knew. He could feel it.

But they had things that needed to be said, and Yuuri pulled back, a hand caressing Viktor’s cheek.

“How was your trip?”

“It was kind of a blur...All I know that Celestino finally got better and I booked the first flight in the morning. Somehow got the train ticket too, suddenly I’m already here, with you.”

Viktor chuckled. It was the same for him.

“Give me your hand,” Yuuri said, his voice clear from doubt.

When Viktor did, he was trembling. He knew this was coming, but he still couldn’t wrap his mind around it.

Something cold was slid onto his ring finger.

Yuuri nodded, and turned away to face the piano whilst Viktor began to marvel at the golden ring. Yuuri played a familiar music—the music from Viktor’s music box—just to fill the silence.

“Do you like it?”

“...I can’t even begin with that, it’s much more than that...” Viktor smiled dreamily and leaned at the shoulder he had been missing for so long. “What are we going to do with my Flower Shop?”

“There’s this lone guy who just got divorced from the other village, Georgi. He’s been helping out with the school construction, but he’s no good if left alone.”

“I know Georgi. Okay then. So I’m going to live with you? At the farmhouse?”

Viktor turned with his head still sticking onto the shoulder.

“Do you not want to?”

“I want that more than anything. But, I promised Chris I’d take care of his wedding decor.”

“There’s no rush. I still have to expand our house,” Yuuri stopped playing, sitting upright to lean back to Viktor. “Can we have the wedding at the inn?”

“Father Lambiel would be sad.”

“And we won’t be going around on a wedding carriage. Unless you want JJ and Roy to drive.”

“We have Takeshi! Or Phichit. Can Phichit drive your carriage?”

“He’s bad with horses. He’s going to be my best man. Can Yuri be our ring holder?”

They began to make all these small plans. No one bothered to take a note, because things will sort out itself if they’d start working on it anyway. But not now. They just wanted to hear each other’s voice for this evening, soaking in each other’s presence.

Viktor felt like he was floating when they walked home together. Yuuri’s farm was in the same direction with his Flower Shop, after all, but it’s still romantic. The rain had stopped, the ground was muddy, he was holding the umbrella, and Yuuri held the lantern. He would borrow it to walk back to the farm, but he didn’t have to ask, since they are to be wed soon anyways, the lantern might as well be Yuuri’s.

Though it was hard to let go of each other’s hand when they finally got to the front of the Flower Shop.

Yuuri opened his mouth to say something, but blushed, suddenly got too embarrassed. Viktor smiled knowingly, stepping closer, so close that their noses touched.

“Can I kiss you good night?”

Yuuri’s brown eyes glimmered.

“Yes.”

It was a short one, just a sweet innocent kiss. Viktor’s first kiss. Later, Yuuri would tell him that it was his first too. Or maybe it didn’t matter. Because it felt lovely, and Viktor felt his everything was tingling as he watched the lantern fading into the dark.

It wasn’t an anchor. An anchor was a stop, an end of a sail. It didn't feel that way with Yuuri.

Not a piece of puzzle that had been missing. His life didn't feel as small as a box of puzzle, but he didn't feel like he's missing something; he felt that there's going to be a lot more new things. Puzzles were something that had been set, planned, counted. Life wasn't that way. Especially not with Yuuri.

Viktor had a hard time to really understand what was it about life. What drove people to keep on living. 

It’s hard to say, but it’s like he had been standing in front of a locked door. He was restless because he didn’t know what’s beyond, and he was sluggish of what’s already in his room. And then Yuuri came with the key.

And soon there’s a whole new life ahead of them, to be explored together with many more evening rides that await them in the future.

Maybe it's different for everyone, you know, life. Maybe for Viktor it was opening doors and seeing new things, learning more of the world. It didn't have to be a grand world-tour like Minako, or going around the world to show the world of music like Yuri. Viktor was content with this village, and the many things he could do, improve and learn with what little things it has. Yuuri would be there, too. They would learn about each other, and there would be new things to revel in.

They wouldn’t be perfect, they would be clumsy at times, and it’s hard to say, but Viktor just knew—Viktor could just feel it; he didn’t want to let go. And Yuuri wouldn’t as well.

Viktor could trust him on _that_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far! I hope you find it enjoyable. I learned things from writing this as well. It's been a while since I wrote anything in English, so I do hope I get my points across. This fanfic is open for editing, so if you find it frustrating AFTER reading to the end, and wish to choke me and convince me for editing, go ahead and comment below heheh~


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